Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

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Should we rank non-musical tracks/skits/short interludes?

Yes, all tracks should be ranked
9
47%
No, these tracks should not be included
7
37%
Short Musical Interludes should be included, skits should not be included
3
16%
 
Total votes: 19

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BleuPanda
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Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

Post by BleuPanda »

The basic idea is to rank the tracks off the album each week to see how each track compares to each other. It's an excuse to go back to classic albums and a way to gauge the best and worst tracks of the most acclaimed albums. Simply rank all the tracks from your favorite to your least.

I plan to go in cycles of decades with the 1950s and 2010s once every other cycle. I will go with the top album of each respective decade, but I might skip questionable albums (I doubt anyone wants to rank the tracks of 69 Love Songs, no matter how great the album is). Next week will be Nirvana's Nevermind.

Also, if you missed an album that you want to rank, you can do so in this thread. Please keep it to 1 old album per week. I will update the results. Please don't bump previous threads. I'd like to keep everything in the current topic and the result topic.

Also, my concern with the poll above is these tracks are essentially empty space and it seems pointless to compare them to the central tracks. I also feel they can skew the results negatively. This week rank all tracks and I'll decide whether or not to include certain tracks based on the poll results.

Results topic:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2012

Image

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back track listing:
1. Countdown to Armageddon
2. Bring the Noise
3. Don't Believe the Hype
4. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
6. Mind Terrorist
7. Louder Than a Bomb
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
13. Security of the First World
14. Rebel Without a Pause
15. Prophets of Rage
16. Party for Your Right to Fight
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BleuPanda
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by BleuPanda »

My ranking:
1. Rebel Without a Pause
2. Bring the Noise
3. Don't Believe the Hype
4. Night of the Living Baseheads
5. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
6. Cold Lampin' With Flavor
7. Louder Than a Bomb
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
9. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
10. Prophets of Rage
11. Party for Your Right to Fight
12. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
13. She Watch Channel Zero!?
14. Security of the First World
15. Mind Terrorist
16. Countdown to Armageddon
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bootsy
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by bootsy »

1. Rebel Without a Pause
2. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
3. Bring the Noise
4. Don't Believe the Hype
5. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
6. Night of the Living Baseheads
7. Cold Lampin' With Flavor
8. Louder Than a Bomb
9. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
10. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
11. Prophets of Rage
12. Party for Your Right to Fight
13. Countdown to Armageddon
14. Security of the First World
15. Mind Terrorist
16. She Watch Channel Zero!?
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by Honorio »

3. Don't Believe the Hype
2. Bring the Noise
12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
10. She Watch Channel Zero ?!
1. Countdown to Armageddon
14. Rebel Without a Pause
7. Louder than a Bomb
16. Party for Your Right to Fight
4. Cold Lampin with Flavor
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
15. Prophets of Rage
6. Mind Terrorist
9. Show Em Whatcha Got
13. Security of the First World

BleuPanda, you pointed to a very interesting question. When ranking the songs of an album like this one (and many other hip hop albums), the skit and transitional songs are destined to end at the bottom on the final list, despite their intrinsic qualities or the importance in the context of the album. That's why I put "Countdown to Armageddon" quite high on my list, it's one of the best album intros I can think of, it puts you in the mood immediately.
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by PlasticRam »

3. Don't Believe the Hype (9.5)
14. Rebel Without a Pause (9)
2. Bring the Noise (8.5)
10. She Watch Channel Zero?! (8)
1. Countdown to Armageddon (8)
7. Louder Than a Bomb (8)
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic (8)
15. Prophets of Rage (7.5)
11. Night of the Living Baseheads (7.5)
12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos (7.5)
13. Security of the First World (7)
16. Party for Your Right to Fight (7)
4. Cold Lampin' with Flavor (6.5)
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness? (6.5)
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got (6)
6. Mind Terrorist (6)

I rated the songs too to kind of remember them better. But this is a really tight scale. As an album I prolly rank this 10/10. It's my #15 of all time, so I recommend it for the albums poll.

Edit: Actually this reminds me of Scaruffi scale, so obviously 9.5 is the greatest song of all time. :D He gave the album 8.5/10, his highest given to a rap album.
Last edited by PlasticRam on Tue Sep 02, 2014 12:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
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BleuPanda
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by BleuPanda »

Haven't received many votes this week...
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by jamieW »

10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
2. Bring the Noise
14. Rebel Without a Pause
3. Don't Believe the Hype
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
13. Security of the First World
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
15. Prophets of Rage
1. Countdown to Armageddon
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
7. Louder Than a Bomb
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
16. Party for Your Right to Fight
4. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
6. Mind Terrorist
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by GucciLittlePiggy »

When is the deadline for this week's poll? I've just been busy lately, given this past week was my first week of college. If you give it at least until the end of the day, I will submit my rankings.
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You thought that you could forget
And then I haunt you via the rear view mirror
On a long drive from the back seat...
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by BleuPanda »

Until Wednesday evening, though I'm saving all the results in an excel file. So if you did end up missing the deadline, I'd still allow you to vote.
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by Rocky Raccoon »

12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
2. Bring the Noise
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
3. Don't Believe the Hype
7. Louder Than a Bomb
15. Prophets of Rage
14. Rebel Without a Pause
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
4. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
16. Party for Your Right to Fight
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
1. Countdown to Armageddon
6. Mind Terrorist
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
13. Security of the First World
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BleuPanda
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by BleuPanda »

One more day. I hope people are more interested in Nevermind.
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bootsy
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by bootsy »

BleuPanda wrote:One more day. I hope people are more interested in Nevermind.
Well for what it's worth I've loved doing all of these 'Rank The Tracks' so far and can't wait for Nevermind. :happy-partydance:
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by Romain »

Sorry Bleupanda but I'm unable to rank any tracks here. It's too hard to rank songs rated between 0 and 0.0001 :mrgreen:
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Pierre
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by Pierre »

12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
3. Don't Believe the Hype
2. Bring the Noise
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
14. Rebel Without a Pause
7. Louder Than a Bomb
15. Prophets of Rage
4. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
1. Countdown to Armageddon
16. Party for Your Right to Fight
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
13. Security of the First World
6. Mind Terrorist

I know hip-hop is not the favourite genre among AMers, but I'm still disappointed by the low turnout. This album is definitely one of my favourites and will rank highly in my list, whenever it will be ready.
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by Kingoftonga »

2. Bring the Noise
12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
16. Party for Your Right to Fight
3. Don't Believe the Hype
7. Louder Than a Bomb
14. Rebel Without a Pause
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
15. Prophets of Rage
1. Countdown to Armageddon
6. Mind Terrorist
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
13. Security of the First World
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
4. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by TimmyWing »

1. Don't Believe the Hype
2. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
3. Bring the Noise
4. Prophets of Rage
5. Rebel Without a Pause
6. Night of the Living Baseheads
7. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
8. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
9. She Watch Channel Zero?!
10. Mind Terrorist
11. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
12. Countdown to Armageddon
13. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
14. Louder Than a Bomb
15. Party for Your Right to Fight
16. Security of the First World

I guess this album might be less intimately familiar to people than Revolver or What's Going On, hence the fewer participants. For me it was fairly tricky to rank these tracks, but very rewarding at the same time. Some of the best sampling and scratching in hip hop history is on this record.
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by BleuPanda »

I'm not going to have time tonight to post the results, but I'm going to get the Nirvana topic up now. You can continue to vote in this topic as well.
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mil

Post by GucciLittlePiggy »

In regards to the question of whether to include musical interludes and/or short skits, I voted "no." "Countdown to Armageddon" is a great piece to the album as a whole, but for the purposes of this poll, I just don't think it should be considered. The way I look at it is what track would I prefer to listen to on repeat? I don't know about you guys, but I would prefer listening to actual musical tracks to just album pieces. Sure "Countdown" is a fantastic way to open the album, but does it stand up on its own? I know it's subjective, though, so we'll just let the poll BleuPanda posted do the talking.

Anyway...

2. Bring the Noise
16. Party for Your Right to Fight
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
3. Don't Believe the Hype
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
7. Louder Than a Bomb
14. Rebel Without a Pause
4. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
6. Mind Terrorist
15. Prophets of Rage
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
13. Security of the First World
1. Countdown to Armageddon

A few notes:
1. I had listened to this album a few times before this poll and I thought it was really good but not 19th all time material, but this run-through made me realize it's truly a great album. Those samples, man...
2. This was definitely the hardest album to rank for me so far. On the other two albums, there were tracks that I thought were obviously better than others, but this album is so consistent. The only song that really rises above the rest for me is "Bring the Noise," which I think has a lot to do with the fact that I've known it much longer than the rest.
3. On each poll so far, my top two songs have been the openers and closers of the albums (in this case, I'm referring to "Bring the Noise" as the opening track, as "Countdown" is simply an intro). Those are probably the two most important albums slots for me. Spoiler alert: this trend will not continue for me on the next album of this poll.
I just wanted to be one of those ghosts
You thought that you could forget
And then I haunt you via the rear view mirror
On a long drive from the back seat...
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

Post by EmilienDelRey »

12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
14. Rebel Without a Pause
3. Don't Believe the Hype
2. Bring the Noise
7. Louder Than a Bomb
4. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
15. Prophets of Rage
6. Mind Terrorist
13. Security of the First World
16. Party for Your Right to Fight
1. Countdown to Armageddon
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

Post by ordinaryperson »

01 | Bring the Noise
02 | Don’t Believe the Hype
03 | Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
04 | Night of the Living Baseheads
05 | Louder Than a Bomb
06 | Prophets of Rage
07 | Party for Your Right to Fight
08 | Black Steel in the Hour of Choice
09 | Rebel Without a Pause
10 | Cold Lampin’ With Flavor
11 | Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
12 | She Watch Channel Zero?!
13 | Mind Terrorist
14 | Show Em’ Whatcha Got
15 | Security of the First World
16 | Countdown to Armageddon
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

Post by krendler »

02 | Bring the Noise
03 | Don't Believe the Hype
07 | Louder Than a Bomb
12 | Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
14 | Rebel Without a Pause
11 | Night of the Living Baseheads
05 | Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
10 | She Watch Channel Zero?!
16 | Party for Your Right to Fight
08 | Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
15 | Prophets of Rage
04 | Cold Lampin' with Flavor
01 | Countdown to Armageddon
09 | Show 'Em Whatcha Got
06 | Mind Terrorist
13 | Security of the First World
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

Post by Listyguy »

12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
3. Don't Believe the Hype
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
14. Rebel Without a Pause
2. Bring the Noise
15. Prophets of Rage
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
4. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
13. Security of the First World
7. Louder Than a Bomb
16. Party for Your Right to Fight
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
6. Mind Terrorist
1. Countdown to Armageddon
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

Post by bonnielaurel »

2. Bring the Noise
3. Don't Believe the Hype
7. Louder Than a Bomb
15. Prophets of Rage
16. Party for Your Right to Fight
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
4. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
14. Rebel Without a Pause
6. Mind Terrorist
13. Security of the First World
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
1. Countdown to Armageddon
De gustibus et coloribus non est disputandum.
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

Post by fasbjd »

1. Bring the Noise
2. Don't Believe the Hype
3. Louder Than a Bomb
4. Rebel Without a Pause
5. Prophets of Rage
6. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
7. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
8. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
9. Night of the Living Baseheads
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
11. Party for Your Right to Fight
12. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
13. Mind Terrorist
14. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
15. Security of the First World
16. Countdown to Armageddon
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

Post by antonius »

14. Rebel Without a Pause
12. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
10. She Watch Channel Zero?!
3. Don't Believe the Hype
2. Bring the Noise
11. Night of the Living Baseheads
7. Louder Than a Bomb
4. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
15. Prophets of Rage
1. Countdown to Armageddon
9. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
6. Mind Terrorist
13. Security of the First World
5. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
16. Party for Your Right to Fight
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

Post by mileswide »

07| Louder Than a Bomb
16| Party for Your Right to Fight
04| Cold Lampin' with Flavor
12| Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
15| Prophets of Rage
11| Night of the Living Baseheads
10| She Watch Channel Zero?!
13| Security of the First World
14| Rebel without a Pause
06| Mind Terrorist
03| Don't Believe the Hype
08| Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
05| Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
09| Show 'Em Whatcha Got
02| Bring the Noise
01| Countdown to Armageddon
All I got inside is vacancy!
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

Post by ArcadeFire »

1.Bring the Noise
2. Rebel Without a Pause
3. Don't Believe the Hype
4. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
5. She Watch Channel Zero?!
6. Louder Than a Bomb
7. Night of the Living Baseheads
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
9. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
10. Countdown to Armageddon
11. Mind Terrorist
12. Party for Your Right to Fight
13. Prophets of Rage
14. Security of the First World
15. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
16. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
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Re: Rank the Tracks: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Mill...

Post by stone37 »

1. Bring the Noise
2. Don't Believe the Hype
3. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
4. Rebel Without a Pause
5. Night of the Living Baseheads
6. She Watch Channel Zero?!
7. Lounder Than a Bomb
8. Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
9. Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
10. Prophets of Rage
11. Cold Lampin' with Flavor
12. Show 'Em Whatcha Got
13. Security for the First World
14. Party for Your Right to Fight
15. Mind Terrorist
16. Countdown to Armageddon
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