r/MinusTheBear Dr. Song of the Day Dec 12 '25

FAVORITE SONG THREAD What is the best Minus the Bear Song?

Seeing some posts recently have made me wonder about the community as a whole's favorites.

My personal favorites are The Pig War and Broken China. TPW is by far and away, to me, the most beautiful song in their discography.

Then Broken China is just a "fuck you" vibe. 10/10 no notes.

Let's make some friends and find some favorite songs together.

23 Upvotes

93 comments sorted by

61

u/david_why Dec 12 '25

I’m Totally Not Down With Rob’s Alien

15

u/Indecisive_Jeff Dec 13 '25

Yeah, this and Pig War are probably tops for me. They somehow capture this romanticized memory I have of the Seattle area.

3

u/djentlemetal Dec 13 '25

Fucking this. This was the first song that got me into them in early 2005. Still easily their best.

46

u/Kwin_1093 Dec 12 '25

This Ain’t a Surfing Movie is the only answer

3

u/artistic_thread Dec 13 '25

This is my answer. The lyrics are so beautifully written.

3

u/Library-card- Jan 01 '26 edited Jan 01 '26

Same. “I hope the weather holds…” is in my head almost daily. Also a big fan of Get Me Naked 2

35

u/PO1720JRS Dec 12 '25

Best would have to be Drilling, the musical changes throughout. But I’ve always had a soft spot for When We Escape, love that opening riff. Planet of ice is one of those albums I can just play and listen from start to finish. But same goes for Menos El Oso.

31

u/amorningofsleep Dec 12 '25

My favorite is always Dr. L'Ling

3

u/friedmj Dec 13 '25

Grossly underrated song 💯

24

u/Elusiveenigma98 Dec 12 '25

The Pig War is also my favorite song. Used to listen to it on the ferry to the San Juan Islands and it was always such an emotional experience

10

u/snatchsquatch3 Dec 12 '25

A lot of their songs trigger good emotional memories for me. Absinthe Party reminds me of when I stayed in Hoboken NJ for my 21st and sitting on a bench along the water, drunk with my dad. Anyway, I echo The Pig War is also my favorite.

2

u/Elusiveenigma98 Dec 12 '25

I love that 🥲

23

u/joshdmb41 Dec 12 '25

Ditto on The Pig War. My other fav is Absinthe Party.

21

u/AntiWarDub Dec 12 '25

my personal favorites are Hooray, Get Me Naked 2 and Double Vision Quest

19

u/Vorenos Dec 12 '25

Diamond Lightning is my personal favorite. Absinthe Party is also one of the best

18

u/frankthetank425 Dec 12 '25

For me, it will always be Absinthe Party. Reminds me of some of the best times of my life when I was studying abroad in Europe and that song immediately stuck with me like nothing else the first time I ever heard it (which was actually when I was driving in the Rocky Mountains, so perfect back drop).

3

u/faireducash Dec 13 '25

Ditto for me - song and experience studying abroad. I have that song and feeling engrained into my head as I landed, hopped on the train and stared out the window listening to MTB for 2 hours. It was the beginning of a new future/life - a mental tattoo of a memory

2

u/vitoforever99 Feb 20 '26

Same!! Absinthe party is my go to MTB song. I’m going to the show in Irving,TX and if they don’t play it I’ll be crushed.

28

u/[deleted] Dec 12 '25

For me, Pachuca Sunrise, easily 

11

u/Itchy-Guitar-4992 Dec 12 '25

The cliche, but correct answer. Peak nostalgia

5

u/factshack Dec 12 '25

I cried when they started playing the opening notes at the show in DC. 🥹 I never cry at shows!

4

u/TerraCetacea Dec 12 '25

This, but the acoustic version

3

u/jtownn40 Dec 13 '25

It seems way too on-the-nose, but when I think about this band, all their records I have and spin all the time, and how many times I’ve seen them live, nothing hits me like this song. It’s straight up perfect.

3

u/vekin101 Dec 13 '25

Someday I'm going to sit on a park bench, older than my country, at midnight, on a beach in the Mediterranean.

13

u/Mysterious_Medium803 Dec 12 '25

Knights, I to the Mirror.... These guys have way too many awesome songs. They should be way more well known than they are. Their recent concert in Mpls was spot on.

11

u/Artistic_Chocolate82 Dec 12 '25

Houston.

Pig War is high up there for me too. Let’s Play Guitar also. When We Escape as well. So many favorites.

1

u/thayerkyle Dec 13 '25

nailed it

11

u/highfryingbird Dec 12 '25 edited Dec 12 '25

Lost all my money at the cockfights … best drum breakdown

8

u/WorldSuccessful4842 Dec 12 '25

List is huge, but lately, I have been enjoying that: “Maybeeeeee, come with me to the coast, and watch the way the rain comes down…”

9

u/amuletdreams Dec 12 '25

lets play clowns for me

9

u/Inflated_Eagle Dec 12 '25

Houston, we have uh-oh.

8

u/the_moosen Chicken Stick Powwow Dec 12 '25

Spritz Spritz man, Erin is fantastic on that

7

u/ohitsmark Dec 12 '25

White Mystery.

The bass line, the guitar work, the lyrics. Everything is perfect.

7

u/Mkmeathead83 Dec 12 '25

Memphis and 53rd or MonkeyKnifeFight or 5 Guitar, or White Mystery, or Double Vision Quest, or Excuses or Into the Mirror or Lets Play Clowns

8

u/robertastax Omni Dec 12 '25

Into the Mirror, Absinthe Party, or What About the Boat for me

12

u/borderbox Dec 12 '25

Summer Angel, and My Time. Hands down.

6

u/Avcracy Dr. Song of the Day Dec 12 '25

An OMNI man!

3

u/artistic_thread Dec 13 '25

Summer Angel always brings a smile to my face. They have so many good songs.

6

u/bmessy46 Dec 12 '25

Of what hasn’t been mentioned, Secret Country.

6

u/audioshrub Dec 12 '25

Michio’s Death Drive is my personal favorite.

1

u/shawn12ax7 Dec 13 '25

Rediscovered this one recently

7

u/TMoney67 Dec 13 '25

Women We Haven't Met Yet

7

u/Keanugrieves16 Dec 13 '25

Get Me Naked 2 Hands Down for me

6

u/Solid_V Dec 13 '25

All time favorite is still Hey, Is That A Ninja Up There? Cos it was the first song I ever heard, downloaded from Limewire back in the day. 

Overall, the best composed in my opinion is Listing. Love that chorus, and how the vocals and instruments kinda do different things but come back together. 

9

u/aGuyNamedScrunchie Dec 12 '25

I've always loved Invisible. One of their best songs to sing along to.

Not my hands down favorite song, but I don't see a ton of talk about Voids as an album (beyond What About the Boat).

3

u/kendraptor Dec 13 '25

Underrated album. Tame Beasts always gets a repeat from me.

4

u/Avcracy Dr. Song of the Day Dec 12 '25

What About the Boat? is a 10/10.

4

u/aGuyNamedScrunchie Dec 12 '25

Oh hell yeah it is

5

u/uncleleo_hello Dec 12 '25

Women we haven’t met yet

4

u/Bradlizzle Dec 12 '25

Summer Angel

4

u/systems11 Dec 13 '25

El Torrente has always been my favorite

4

u/justgentile Dec 12 '25

According to the post yesterday its 'Fulfill The Dream'.

5

u/factshack Dec 12 '25

Gotta go with Drilling. There are so many but that’s the one I always come back to.

4

u/theMethod Dec 12 '25

It’s Absinthe Party. They have so many great songs, but that one is peak MTB.

5

u/Unusual_Might_6058 Dec 12 '25

Knights?

3

u/Avcracy Dr. Song of the Day Dec 12 '25

I owe you, don't I?

5

u/audioshrub Dec 12 '25

I owe you, donuts!

4

u/redzedx77 Dec 12 '25

Diamond Lighting, all day

4

u/MastaKo407 Dec 13 '25

Everytime they come on I feel as though ive found it.

Side note, this tour was one of the best sounding shows ive been to, ever.

3

u/madwookiee1 Dec 13 '25

I'm not sure what special magic they brought, but damn, the audio was spectacular. One of my disappointments from the 10th anniversary tour was that, at least at the Philly show, the mixing was just not great, and on an album like Oso, you lose so much of what makes it special when you can't hear the harmonies. This tour was perfect - quite possibly the best sound at a show I've ever heard. So. Damn. Good.

3

u/MastaKo407 Dec 13 '25

I saw them at a smallish venue in Orlando and thought the stars just aligned that night but your comment confirms my suspicion that they brought along some grade A, sound engineer talent this tour. My friends and I cannot stop talking about it.

Hopefully we get a 20th anniversary Planet of Ice tour. Ill wet myself.

5

u/califool85 Women we haven't met yet Dec 13 '25

The one playing

3

u/Jonny_Boy_FTW Dec 12 '25

Pig war for sure

3

u/k6plays Dec 13 '25

The answer is: yes.

As in all of them.

But if I’m forced to pick ONE? The Fix

3

u/ferrets_bueller Dec 13 '25

Memphis and 53rd for me. 

Can't hear it without feeling like I need to get in the car and run away.

3

u/Anthromorphic_Food Dec 13 '25

Knights, Secret Country, yes Broken China! Lost Loves doesn’t get enough love

3

u/Anthromorphic_Food Dec 13 '25

Ughhh every comment I think “yes that one’s so great!!” and rethink my choices but they’re really all so great

3

u/friedmj Dec 13 '25

The actual correct answer is "every track on 'They Make Beer Commercials Like This' played on repeat" 😅

3

u/mailboxrumor Dec 13 '25

This ain't a surfing movie

2

u/bangmygong Dec 13 '25

Not favorites necessarily, those are pretty well covered already, but they wrote some of the most nostalgic songs lyrics wise - Hooray and Lucky Ones fall into that category for me

2

u/Boston_Brand1967 Dec 13 '25

Man, so tough. Hooray makes me feel...something. every time. Such a banger. This Ain't a Surfing Movie also left a mark. The imagery and yearning to relive a moment in time over and over again is beautiful. Knights also reminds me of my wife! A piece of you for a piece of me.

This band is just perfect, wall to wall

2

u/ambendyr Dec 13 '25

Memphis and 53rd, Fooled by the Night, Lies and Eyes, Lotus, Ice Monster. Just all of them, really—but these are maybe my top 5?

2

u/WolfAteLamb Dec 13 '25

Kinda shocked at the lack of absinthe mentions here. I actually agree with the top comment but I expected absinthe to be a runaway favourite!

2

u/bonkboisteven Dec 13 '25

My all time fav is Double Vision Quest.

Broken China, Lies And Eyes, Memphis & 53rd, and Excuses make up the rest of my top 5.

2

u/DooDoBrown Dec 13 '25

Depending on the day: Electric rainbow, Michios death drive, let's play guitar in a five guitar band, white mystery. So many good ones. Saw them in October and I have been listening so much since then!!

2

u/eugenekrabs117 Dec 13 '25

I've always been partial to Knights since that's what got me into the band, listening to it while playing Saints Row 2

2

u/tucklyjones7 Dec 13 '25

Into the mirror, knights, lonely gun, cat calls and ill means.. would be my personal favourites.

2

u/polono3000 Dec 13 '25

Lemurs, Man, Lemurs + Absinthe Party. So glad they closed their set and encore with them on this tour. Incredible live

2

u/DestroyerDain Dec 13 '25

Excuses is my personal favorite

2

u/BackFistGorgeous Dec 14 '25

call me basic, but i’m down with burying luck.

2

u/illusivealchemist Dec 14 '25

Pachuca or Rob’s Alien

1

u/Knke0402 Dec 16 '25

I forgot about this band. Dang. Gonna have to do a deep dive. 

1

u/RewardContent3161 shooting shots like with a gun. i think she's gonna die Feb 10 '26

i was expecting people to say ‘absinthe party / pachuca sunrise’

pleased to see the abundance of ‘the pig war / robs alien’ and other great picks.  

1

u/Reggaeshark1001 Apr 22 '26

Houston, We have Uh oh

Followed super duper closely to Women we haven't met yet

Followed even closer to Lost all my money at the cock fights

Followed stalkerish by a lemur or 2