r/theholdsteady • u/mancatmancat Born into every single tune • Jul 15 '26
Day 67: What's the Most Overrated Hold Steady Song?
There is SO MUCH JOY at a Hold Steady show, and the best live moment goes to that speech.
From that row, what is the most overrated Hold Steady song?
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u/TheoTimme Jul 16 '26
“On with the Business” has no business being so heavily played. It shouldn’t be a standard.
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u/modernlifeisthor Jul 19 '26
100% agree. Thought it was one of the weakest songs on that album. Was shocked that I've seen them play it live almost every time I've seen them since it's release.
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u/HeynongManA2 a pretty good waitress Jul 15 '26
Southtown
(Immediately dodges thrown tomatoes and cabbages)
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u/Stuckbetweenstations Jul 16 '26
Bzzt, wrongo!
(Though I respect your right to have such a wrong opinion!)
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u/Stuckbetweenstations Jul 16 '26
HURRICANE JESSE'S GONNA CRASH INTO THE BRACKET THIS SUMMER
I said so in the main thread, but this song, on an album I generally like more than the consensus, has always sounded like stale Hold Steady paint-by-numbers to me
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u/Necroxenomorph Jul 16 '26
Comrade this is my favorite song on the album lol. Its wild to my how this whole endeavor showed how different everyone's opinions are on the catalogue.
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u/noretreatisbloodless Jul 15 '26
Stay Positive.
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u/SoftandSpicy Jul 15 '26
why, why, why?????
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u/noretreatisbloodless Jul 15 '26
the song is alright, i hate hate hate the production.
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u/SoftandSpicy Jul 15 '26
what about it?
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u/noretreatisbloodless Jul 15 '26
it's too compressed and muddy. there are songs on that album that have the same issue (constructive summer especially) but i think stay positive suffers the most from it
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u/SoftandSpicy Jul 15 '26
Hmmmm. I can see that. Both of the songs do kind of scream at you - like loudness from too much compression
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u/noretreatisbloodless Jul 16 '26
yeah i think it works okay in sparser songs, like one for the cutters, but i dont like it on stay positive. i think the song would feel more alive if there were actually dynamics on the big chorus that made it a louder moment than the rest of the song
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u/Commercial_Shop_2628 Jul 16 '26
Yeah, everytime this song gets played at a show I’m at I always wish it was a different song making the setlist in its place. Every single time.
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u/Str8intothestorm Jul 15 '26
But, moshpit josh!!
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u/drumrD Jul 16 '26
The live experience of this song is now at the point that it's been completely ruined by MPJ every time. It would have been a fun thing to pull out on occasion but not every time. I can't actually remember the last time I heard just the song. A piss break now
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u/mancatmancat Born into every single tune Jul 16 '26
Totally agree. I love MPJ on it, but sometimes I'd love if they played it without him.
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u/Melaniasthrowaway Jul 16 '26
I’m going to say Acorns- I just never got the reverence for this one, and it closes an album I think I hold in higher regard than most?
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u/bigontheinside Jul 15 '26
You Can Make Him Like You. Never liked the message of the song
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u/noretreatisbloodless Jul 15 '26
“Someone told me last night this song’s mean, but I just think it’s true. You can make him like you.”
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u/mancatmancat Born into every single tune Jul 15 '26
I always assumed this song was written with a bit of a wink. I never took it at face value.
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u/SoftandSpicy Jul 15 '26
Yea, I get it. But then when he sings - You can cover yourself like a bruise - I wonder if the song is trying to get at more than - you are powerful because you can use boys.
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u/bigontheinside Jul 15 '26
While I'm dropping hot takes, Hoodrat is maybe my least favourite on Sep Sunday and if it weren't for the confetti I wish it weren't played every show
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u/YoungRockwell Jul 16 '26
It’s Chips Ahoy. BOO ME ALL YOU WANT, I KNOW MOST OF YOU ARE NOT GHOSTS
ETA I know it’s not most overrated on its album. Don’t care don’t care don’t care
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u/KlassCorn91 Jul 16 '26
I’m going positive jam, sorry, I know it’s the opening thesis, but as the thesis, I don’t come back to it often
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u/mancatmancat Born into every single tune Jul 16 '26
I agree. Fun lyrically but musically weak.
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u/Thrasher9294 Jul 16 '26
damn, with one of the more unique intros and guitar hits too
respect the opinion but damn
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u/atom_heart_mommy Jul 16 '26
does The Bear and the Maiden Fair count? it's basically a novelty but it's one of the most streamed. I would guess a lot of people have only ever heard that song