61. Faith No More – Helpless
Well, this had to get it’s own. Faith No More was my favorite band for a very long time until, for reasons all my own, I had to put their albums away for a while. I’ve finally reached a place where I can listen to them again without feeling all queasy about it, and I still have the same passion for their music -and the same cult-like worship of Mike Patton – I always did.
Like I did with QOTSA, I had to go over each (studio) album and pick out a song from each, then do an elimination tournament from there:
We Care A Lot – I’m really not into the pre-Patton stuff. Even though I liked the band before him, Chuck Mosely seems stale and contrived in retrospect. However, (and while I’m not dismissing the title song, it is what made me notice the band) As The Worm Turns is a phenomenal song.
Introduce Yourself – There’s a video for Anne’s Song in which, for god knows what reason, Chuck Mosely bothers me so much I want to reach through the tv and stab him in the face. I really like this song, too. I would probably love it if it weren’t for Chuck.
The Real Thing – This is the album a lot of people start and stop at when it comes to listening to FNM. I have spent many years preaching on the “Epic is not their only song” pulpit. In fact, it’s probably my least favorite FNM song. The rest of the album is good, but not as great as what was to come. Patton hadn’t yet reached the limits of what he could do with his voice. Edge of the World wins out here just because I feel like it’s more of the FNM that would be than what was. And it’s pretty on its face – a very deceiving kind of pretty.
Angel Dust – my favorite FNM album, most of the time. A big departure from The Real Thing in that there wasn’t anything on it that was radio or MTV friendly. It was dark and heavy and bizarre and probably scared off a lot of people who were looking for a hit follow up to Epic. They probably weren’t expecting Jizzlobber. It’s so hard to pick a song from this one. But I’m going with the obvious (to most of you) choice of A Small Victory.
The small victories
The cankers and medallions
The little nothings
They keep me thinking that someday
I might beat you
But I’ll just keep my mouth shut
It shouldn’t bother me
but it does
Patton’s voice. The change ups. The punctuated rhythm. The lyrics. The ending. And an epic video.
Album of the Year – Another departure. If there’s one thing to be said for FNM, it’s that their style was consistently inconsistent. Every album has a different texture, a different flavor. This one is, I think, their most mature, lyrically and musically, and the one where Patton’s penchant for lounge singing came into full effect (interestingly enough, the band hated this album). It’s beautiful music, a little sorrowful, a lot melancholy. Helpless is my easy pick here.
And just now at this second I decided that Helpless is my overall favorite Faith No More song. Lyrics below, just because you should read them. The song is so wistful, so full of loneliness and heartbreak and hope and restlessness…it’s so many emotions all played to understated music and as the whistling kicks in, you can almost see Patton walking listlessly through some city, half depressed, half determined, stopping at a fountain to toss in a dime and wish his life away.
The end of the song, where he goes from pleading “don’t want your help” to yelling “Help” makes you really feel this one in your gut. I’ve included a download because I like to share when I gush this much about a song.
The air is warm
I hear the wind and the trees
I know I’m there, but I’ll never be
The wind is soft tonight, the tide is low
And I know the way
(I never felt better now)
Sometimes life, it moves too slow
Slows to a crawl, and then the poetry is lost
And without speed, hope becomes certainty
And for once I’m certain
(I never felt better now)
A garden is it’s own perfect world
Where everything has a place
Every leaf, every stone, every speck of dirt
But where’s my place?
I even tried to get arrested today
But everyone looked the other way
I count the hours, and I count the days
But for once I’m certain
Don’t want your help
Don’t need your help
Don’t want your help
Don’t need your help
Helpless
You found a way to make me say
Help me please someone
The water’s clear
I see that it’s full of dimes
For every wish, I wonder why
Why all I want is something beautiful
A place to rest
(I never felt better now)
HELP
Faith No More – Helpless
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