The third track. Sometimes the quirky one, sometimes the last single, some (rarer) times the big hit. We celebrate the art of the third track by presenting you 33 of those that we love, in no particular order.
(As posted for the #33Thirds Twitter challenge, which ran throughout March 2023.)
1. The Beatles - "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" (Sgt Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band, 1967)
I'm betraying my (kind of inexplicable) love for "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" to go with this everyone's-favourite psychedelic masterpiece.
2. Love - "Andmoreagain" (Forever Changes, 1967)
Staying in 1967 for another timeless classic. I was gifted this album by my cousin and was instantly smitten with this song on my first listen.
3a. Sigur Ros - "Starálfur" (Ágætis Byrjun, 1999)
3b. Bjork - "Venus As A Boy" (Debut, 1993)
Probably my favourite Icelandic albums of all time, and their #3s are both magical.
4. Porno For Pyros - "Tahitian Moon" (Good God's Urge, 1996)
I've already seen a lot of beloved songs mentioned in this challenge and this is one of them, one of those that narrowly missed the #1996top20.
5. Screaming Trees - "Look At You" (Dust, 1996)
Speaking of 1996, like said, one could pick anything off this album as it's filled with stellar songs. That said, its #3 spent a while being my favourite song on it.
6. Espers - "Caroline" (III, 2009)
This isn't the Philadelphia band's best album, but breathtakingly beautiful songs such as this one, the first I heard by them, were scattered across all their albums.
7. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - "Starmoonsun" (Barafundle, 1997)
Another psychedelic folk beauty for the ages, by the Welsh masters. Songs don't get much more gorgeous than this.
8. Beach House - "Gila" (Devotion, 2008)
Still my favourite Beach House song after all these years. The guitars, the incense-like keyboards, Victoria Legrand's imperious singing. Its magic just never wears off.
9. Outrageous Cherry – "Where Do I Go When You Dream?" (Out There In The Dark, 1999)
A luminous psych-pop gem from Detroit (unearthed by Alan McGee who made up a bit with his Poptones label for giving us Oasis.
). Dreamy, melodic, uplifting.
). Dreamy, melodic, uplifting.10. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (feat. PJ Harvey) - "Henry Lee" (Murder Ballads, 1996)
Quite a few modern classics sit at no3 of their albums and what fits that description more than this, featuring 2 of the greatest artists on the planet?
11. Pulp - "Common People" (Different Class, 1995)
Speaking of modern classics, this has been mentioned a lot and it's definitely one of those. A sociological analysis packaged as a perfect pop song. If only the world's professors had Jarvis' gifts.
12. Tindersticks - "My Sister" (Tindersticks II, 1995)
Still in 1995, still keeping with the "modern classics" theme. An 8-minute spoken-word epic with a beautiful instrumental build-up and a tale as absurd as it is chilling. What's not to love?
13. Strangelove - "Sway" (Love and Other Demons, 1996)
Strangelove shared a few things with Tindersticks sound-wise, but they remained forever in the shadow of bigger bands. Still, they gave us quite a few wonderful songs, such as this beauty.
14. Telstar Ponies - "Last Outpost" (Voices From the New Music, 1996)
It's been barely a month since I posted this song in the #1996Top20, but it is also one of my favourite 3s. I never tire of listening to that fantastic build-up.
15. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Fancy" {Show Your Bones, 2006)
My favourite YYYs song. It crashes through the gate with those semi-tribal drums and psych-leaning keyboard and never lets go.
16. Talk Talk - "Life's What You Make It" (The Colour of Spring, 1986)
Going back to the pretty obvious ones. It narrowly beat "After the Flood", but to me, this is the song that perfectly balances their contrasting tendencies.
17. Ben Folds Five - "Mess" (The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, 1999)
One of the most wonderful piano songs I've ever heard.
18. Queens of the Stone Age - "Leg of Lamb" (Rated R, 2000)
This has always been one of my favourite songs on an album that I absolutely love. There's something that makes it stick out from the rest and I like that. And the guitars are amazing.
19. The National - "Brainy" (Boxer, 2007)
The National can be hit or miss for me, but when they're "hit", they're spot on. This was the first song I loved on this album before I managed to get over the sound of those drums and like other songs.
20. Six by Seven - "Candlelight" (The Things We Make, 1998)
A storming track and highlight of this '90s classic.
21. Suede - "Heroine" (Dog Man Star, 1994)
This is one of those songs that makes you wonder what would've happened if Bernard Butler hadn't left Suede. The sounds he squeezes out of his 6-string take the song to another level of greatness.
22. The Radio Dept. - "This Time Around" (Clinging to a Scheme, 2010)
Sometimes you hear a song and go "This would've been a big hit if the world was fair". Well, this is one of those songs. Another link in the long chain of great Swedish pop.
23. Grimes - "Oblivion" (Visions, 2012)
One of the actually freaking amazing and genius pop songs of the 21st century.
24. Regina Spektor - "Samson" (Begin to Hope, 2006)
Some musicians just ooze raw talent from every pore, and this gal is one of them. Love this album and song.
25. Massive Attack - "Teardrop" (Mezzanine, 1998)
There have been many collaborations between artists of the electronic spectrum and guest vocalists, and this is definitely one of the most inspired, resulting in an iconic song.
26. Nirvana - "Heart-Shaped Box" (In Utero, 1993)
Fantastic verses, searing chorus, great guitars everywhere - one of my favourite Nirvana and grunge songs.
27. Still Corners - "Endless Summer" (Creatures of an Hour, 2011)
I think I've mentioned before how much I love this slice of retro-pop perfection. Whichever time of the year it is, this just brings on late August vibes for 3 minutes.
28. Blonde Redhead - "The Dress" (23, 2007)
"Don't let the dress trick you,
I love you less now that I know you"
Blonde Redhead's 2000s albums were richly melodic dream pop wonders, and this is one of the highlights of their absolute best.
29. Bob Marley and the Wailers - "Is This Love" (Kaya, 1978)
30a. Elbow - "Mirrorball" (The Seldom Seen Kid, 2008)
30b. Rufus Wainwright - "Tiergarten" (Release the Stars, 2007)
All 3 songs were on my (hand-picked of course) wedding playlist, and obvs mean a lot to me.
31. Radiohead - "Subterranean Homesick Alien" (OK Computer, 1997)
I started this challenge late and underprepared, but this was always going to be the easiest pick. I'm nicknamed after it, after all, and I don't ever think I'm going to love it any less.
I started this challenge late and underprepared, but this was always going to be the easiest pick. I'm nicknamed after it, after all, and I don't ever think I'm going to love it any less.
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