Which one is the more loved song?

[Kid Presentable]

Two big songs, big album, and I hope a somewhat divisive discussion.

So Whatcha Want is a song I had on repeat literally until the cassette wore out when I was younger. Such a mad song, in terms of not only its impact on me personally, and overall how badass it sounded and still sorta sounds, but for how every element is perfectly placed, constructed and executed. It doesn't do a lot more than drive a hole in your head musically, and the vocal performance is on point.

Pass the Mic is seriously a song I still bump to this day and that can blow me away after all these years. This song does a lot more, I think. The switch ups, terminator outro, the verse structure into the 'old school way'. The care taken to build this track - in terms of the drums and the Bad Brains sample - makes it a very different beast to SWW. The opening notes of the flute are somewhat iconic to me and I feel it's just an overall cooler track. It certainly feels like it's aged better, anyway.

Really would like some views on this, since they are the two key hip-hop tracks on CYH.

For what it's worth, we do a 'track of the day' thing in the office each morning before everybody else rocks up. I'm going to drop 'Pass the Mic' since we are yet to have any hip-hop and I consider it to be a fine example (and one that is relatively safe in a work setting).

[Brother McDuff]

nice inquiry, P .

It's funny, I always felt that these 2 cuts were the 2 seminal hip-hop joints of the CYH era, and in alot of ways beyond for the bboys. Kinda proclaimiing that the real bboys "had arrived". Not necessarily the best or favorite, but the most uniquely and explicitly "Beastie Boys". And not just because they were both singles and everyone knows them either. I just feel that they were the first and most definitive introduction to the Beasties' signature sound; the 1/2 sample, 1/2 live, distorted, bottom-heavy recipe that would become their banner "home-brew" for the duration of their career. Very important cuts.

Personally, I give the edge to SWW. While I whole-heartedly agree that PTM does alot more and develops more as it progresses, the lyrics get in the way for me at times (particularly D's rhymes), consequently distracting me and/or neutralizing some of the established "coolness". I also like how classicly structured SWW is. It's such a standard song format, the roughly ABACB song structure is a classic pop format that had yet to be completely exhausted by that point. A nice package for the listener (suffice to say that they more or less lean on that structure nowadays is another topic altogether). Plus it's hard to disassociate the song from it's video, which is pretty much the dopest video ever .

No disrespect to PTM though, shit's fire. And yeah, you said it, that flute note at the beginning is spot-on "iconic". No wonder James Newton tried to sue them over it; they've claimed ownership of that note now. It belongs to them.

[JoLovesMCA]

I am not good with describing the musical technologies of the tracks but I just judged it by what I hear and how they perform the song. I based that on my choice so that's why I went for So What'cha Want.

[Guy Incognito]

Pass the mic. hands down.

twas the first song i heard by bboys since she's on it, PB passed me by due to recreational drug related reasons!!

it blew me away. so whatcha want is good but its a bit lighter in weight than PTM.

Adrock's best use of his name is in PTM "A-D-R-O-CK in the place with the bass..."

MCA's voice sounds best, i am determined to make a tune worthy of sampling "musical masterpiece"

Mike and adam sound quite similar on PTM

I love it, a proper shout in yer car tune.

Its probably the tune i would play to someone who only knew about LTI.

[Drusyc]

Def have to go with Pass the Mic.

So whatcha want gets stale after awhile for me. Whereas Pass the Mic is always fresh.

[M|X|Y]

the world? so whatcha want

true fans? pass the mic

[fonky pizza]

I voted for pass the mic.

[pm0ney]

Pass The Mic is my all time favorite Beastie Boys song. Its just so.good.

So Whatcha Want is banging too, and far more famous... But Pass The Mic takes this for me.

[Micodin]

Pass The Mic also has better video.

Clips of their new studio.

Rapping on the rooftop of G Son.

Skateboarding.

Playing Bones.

Adrock in multiple shirts.

Mike D in the overall joint with one strap loose.

MCA in the snow boots.

Classic.

[jayjacobson16]

Pass the Mic. I love the song and I love the video. When I first got Check Your Head I would replay it over and over on the way to school. The beat has more to it the lyrics are better the over all song is superior. It's a defining Beastie Boys song. It's got dat Beastie Soul. I love So What'cha Want though.

"A-D! R-O! C-K!" The greatest part.

[JoLovesMCA]

Pass the Mic has a lot of great lyrics. MCA's intro never gets old. Mike's be true to yourself is one of my favorite parts. I think I mentioned recently but Check Your Head is my favorite era. I just think performance wise it was spot ON!

[dave790]

So What'cha Want.

For me, it's just a better song. I do love how Pass The Mic is given room to breathe. I love the different sounds used and the way the drums feel almost apocalyptic. But as a song, So What'cha Want hands down. I remember it being one of the first Beastie Boys videos / songs outside of Sabotage, Intergalactic and Fight For Your Right that I was exposed to. I loved the distortion, the live-playing, and fact they just looked so fucking cool. And that guitar riff on the chorus. They've played it more often that most on TV spots and what not but I've never been disappointed, but I'd be disappointed if it ever left the set. Whereas - and this is sacrilege for some - I could get by without Pass The Mic...

I've not really explained my choice, but I know I don't even need to really think about which one I love more.

[laurie_hammy]

For some reason I was listening to the acapellas of these in my car the other day. Its definatly a hard choice but id go with Pass The Mic just because they rap after each others verses so well. An Adrock Yes Yes Yall second verse has always been a favorite. A favorite live as well.

[Guy Incognito]

fuckin hell,

acapellas in the car, thats pretty hardcore, were you trying to make a beat using your car??

i only listen to the pellas when i am trying to remix.

[gbsuey]

Close call....I just changed my mind in the last coupla minutes so while I think it's Pass The Mic, it's only just. Honestly, neither of them are favourite tracks of mine.

[laurie_hammy]

Originally Posted by Guy Incognito

fuckin hell,

acapellas in the car, thats pretty hardcore, were you trying to make a beat using your car??

i only listen to the pellas when i am trying to remix.

Yeah after they came on the other day iv listened to a lot of other since then at max volume. I love hearing the Beastie's voices in that quality. Iv got a shitload of remix's that iv never uploaded, ill get around to it one day. Made this one a long time ago. Im pretty hardcore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Es64ZVxrm4

[kaiser soze]

this

[Sir SkratchaLot]

I want to say Pass the Mic but it also has one of the most questionable lyrics ever.

"Everybody rappin' like it's a commercial
Actin' like life is a big commercial"

Really Mike D? Really?

Straight outta Compton, crazy mother fucker named Ice Cube
From the gang called niggaz with ice cubes
When I want ice cubes, I get ice cubes
Put em' in my drink, and now I'm drinking ice cubes

[beasties#1fan]

Originally Posted by Sir SkratchaLot

"Everybody rappin' like it's a commercial
Actin' like life is a big commercial"

the press gave mike a hard time with that one.

[Guy Incognito]

Originally Posted by Sir SkratchaLot

I want to say Pass the Mic but it also has one of the most questionable lyrics ever.

"Everybody rappin' like it's a commercial
Actin' like life is a big commercial"

Really Mike D? Really?

Straight outta Compton, crazy mother fucker named Ice Cube
From the gang called niggaz with ice cubes
When I want ice cubes, I get ice cubes
Put em' in my drink, and now I'm drinking ice cubes

he could always say he was trying to emphasize his point.

i like the fact they are bit shaky with the rhymes sometimes.

at the ice cube

[Kid Presentable]

On the Criterion commentary they said that he flubbed the vocal take and they liked the impact of the double rhyme. I have to say I agree. Everybody who hears it, notices it.

[cj hood]

PTM cuz PB was a flop at the time and CYH was almost a comeback record so they brought it raw....pure hiphop. Although I love SWW...it's played out!

[Nicodemus]

Everybody's rappin' like it's a commercial,
Actin' like life is a dress rehearsal...

[Brother McDuff]

damn, no love for SWW.


what a shame.


that song never gets old.


it will live forever.


you'll see.


well, actually you won't.





sorry.

[Laver1969]

Originally Posted by Sir SkratchaLot

I want to say Pass the Mic but it also has one of the most questionable lyrics ever.

"Everybody rappin' like it's a commercial
Actin' like life is a big commercial"

Really Mike D? Really?

Straight outta Compton, crazy mother fucker named Ice Cube
From the gang called niggaz with ice cubes
When I want ice cubes, I get ice cubes
Put em' in my drink, and now I'm drinking ice cubes

You know that's an inside joke, right? Nico quoted what it was supposed to be:

Everybody's rappin' like it's a commercial,
Actin' like life is a dress rehearsal...

But they goofed on Mike and left it in.

[MCAadROCKMiKEd7]

I got depth of perception in my text y'all
I get props at my mention cause I vex yyy'aalll.

If I had a dollar for every time I said that shit, i'd be Bill Gates status.
I say it randomly all the god damn time lol.

Oh that and "Pedal to the metal if I had a car" from time to get ill,
That line fucking kills me. <3

[Mr. Juice]

Wonderful post!

I'd go "So What'cha Want?"

Album, video or live-wise, it's the Beastie's crown jewel.

In a live-setting, there is no better B-Boy track.

The continuous hook is what does it.

In many of the Beastie Boys' live tracks, they cut out of the song early (I guess they think it's pointless to dance around to an instrumental-outro if you have no more lyrics to recite) . That doesn't happen with "SWW," which always goes down good to the last drop!

[Sir SkratchaLot]

Originally Posted by Laver1969

You know that's an inside joke, right? Nico quoted what it was supposed to be:

Everybody's rappin' like it's a commercial,
Actin' like life is a dress rehearsal...

But they goofed on Mike and left it in.

I always figured there was something to it, although I suspected he would rhyme it like "actin' like life is an infomercial". I bet the one strap overalls had him off balance that day. Still a dope cut. I'm at peace with the double rhyme.

[dave790]

Originally Posted by Mr. Juice

Album, video or live-wise, it's the Beastie's crown jewel.

In regards to the live setting, it's got to be one of MMM's finest hours in terms of beat selection.

But yeah, I agree with your whole post. When that intro drops... Adrock was definitely a wise-choice to kick off that track. And, it's always a highlight when I see them live or see/hear a recording.

[Matchstikk]

Pass The Mic! Best Beastie joint ever made.

So What'cha Want is dope as fuck, but it doesn't get any better than Pass The Mic.

Seriously.