Painkillers Song Ranking

I know there is a favoutite tracks poll but thought it would be interesting to see how people rank the songs in order of favourite to least favourite. Very difficult as always but I managed to rank them just about.

01. Rosemary
02. Honey Magnolia
03. Nobody Wins
04. Steve McQueen
05. A Wonderful Life
06. Red Lights
07. Open All Night
08. Mojo Hand
09. Long Drives
10. Painkillers
11. Among Other Foolish Things
12. Smoke

I'd have too hard of a time ranking them one by one but I can do a categorical grouping.

Love:
Rosemary
Open All Night
Mojo Hand
Among Other Foolish Things

Really Like:
Painkillers
Red Lights
Smoke
Nobody Wins
A Wonderful Life

Can take or leave:
Steve McQueen
Honey Magnolia

Usually skip:
Long Drives

near impossible to rank but..

1. rosemary
2. red lights
3. honey magnolia
4. open all night
5. nobody wins
6. painkillers
7. mojo hand
8. a wonderful life
9. long drives
10. smoke
11. among other foolish things
12. steve mcqueen

1. Rosemary
2. Among Other Foolish Things
3. Nobody Wins
4. Red Lights
5. Steve McQueen
6. Honey Magnolia
7. A Wonderful Life
8. Painkillers
9. Smoke
10. Open All Night
11. Mojo Hand
12. Long Drives

I don't feel this does certain songs justice though so I'm going to also post my 12 if the MATZ versions stood in place of the new 3...

1. Rosemary
2. Red Lights
3. Among Other Foolish Things
4. Smoke
5. Long Drives
6. Nobody Wins
7.Steve McQueen
8. Honey Magnolia
9. A Wonderful Life
10. Painkillers
11. Open All Night
12. Mojo Hand

1. Open All Night
2. Long Drives
3. Rosemary
4. Honey Magnolia
5. Smoke
6. Red Lights
7. Nobody Wins
8. Wonderful Life
9. Among Other Foolish Things
10. Steve McQueen
11. Painkillers
12. Mojo Hand

At the top of the list, we have my current favorite song, and at the bottom of the list, a song I've heard a bunch of times but still can't tell you anything distinguishable about it (songs 2-11 all range from "really like" to "love"). I've found this album is more infectious than anything. Listening to it is a pleasant enough experience, but it isn't until a couple hours later when I've got six different songs stuck in my head that I realize how great it is.


1. Among Other Foolish Things
2. Honey Magnolia
3. A Wonderful Life
4. Nobody Wins
5. Smoke
6. Steve McQueen
7. Painkillers
8. Red Lights
9. Long Drives
10. Rosemary
11. Mojo Hand
12. Open All Night

1. Nobody Wins
2. Honey Magnolia
3. Painkillers
4. Wonderful Life
5. Steve Mcqueen
6. Red Lights
7. Rosemary
8. Among Other Foolish Things
9. Long Drives
10. Smoke
11. Open All Night
12. Mojo Hand

1-11 could change constantly, mojo hand is the weak link here i think, would've preferred a new recording of the blues mary.

This album is so good I find it hard to rank the songs in the traditional way.  After having the album for a while now, for me it would be more of a tier like this:

Absolute Top-Shelf Classics
Rosemary
Mojo Hand
Among Other Foolish Things
Nobody Wins
Open All Night

Really Really Really Great Songs
A Wonderful Life
Painkillers
Smoke
Red Lights
Long Drives
Honey Magnolia

Really Good Song
Steve McQueen

I'm honestly surprised at the lack of love for Mojo Hand - that is a song that hit me immediately as pretty damn awesome and I've only grown to love it more and more as time goes on.  In my opinion it is a bit of a stylistic curveball but not a dip in quality at all, whereas the song Steve McQueen really sticks out to me on the album as being slightly bland and not up to par.  It is the only one on the album I'm tempted to skip at all, even though it is a nice song that is beautifully produced.  Those other 11 songs though are absolutely killer and I am really looking forward to getting my hands on those b-sides we've heard so far as well as get a listen to Digging In The Dirt.

1. Rosemary
2. Painkillers
3. Nobody Wins
4. A Wonderful Life
5. Open All Night
6. Redlights
7. Among Other Foolish Things
8. Long Drives
9. Smoke
10. Honey Magnolia
11. Steve McQueen
12. Mojo Hand

I love all of the songs and it's pretty hard to rank them. I could probably put 1-5, 6-9, and 10-12 in any order within those groups depending on the day.

I hate making lists, but Honey Magnolia & Nobody Wins are my top 2 on this record. They really stand out for me in term of emotional strength.

I agree with the above person about groupings being easier

Love:
Rosemary
Steve McQueen
Open All Night
Among Other Foolish Things

Really Like:
Red Lights
Nobody Wins
Long Drives
Painkillers

Won't Skip:
Honey Magnolia
Smoke

Eh:
Wonderful Life
Mojo Hand

that's a real tough decision, let's try it:

1. Rosemary
2. Smoke
3. Open All Night
4. Mojo Hand
5. Red Lights
6. A Wonderful Life
7. Among Other Foolish Things
8. Painkillers
9. Nobody Wins
10. Steve McQueen
11. Long Drives
12. Honey Magnolia

ok...tbh...I love every song..that ranking does not mean that Honey Magnolia is my least favorite song....but unfortunately I had to put one at 12...

top 5 are my absolute favorite songs...and the rest is just a random ranking

Love
Open All Night
Honey Magnolia
Painkillers
Nobody Wins

Like
A Wonderful Life
Among Other Foolish Things
Rosemary
Mojo Hand

Not Huge On
Steve McQueen

Unfortunately, the new versions of the MatZ songs, especially Long Drives, honestly prevent me from enjoying the album as much as I otherwise would.

1. Honey Mags
2. Long Drives
3. Smoke/Rosemary (TIE)
5. Red Lights
6. Painkillers/Open All Night (TIE)
8. Wonderful Life
9. Steve McQueen
10. Among Other Foolish Things/Mojo Hand (TIE)
12. Nobody Wins

To the folks who have issues with the new versions on the MATZ songs, I would just remind you that you can still listen to the original versions whenever you want; they didn't go anywhere. Rather than complain that you don't like the new versions, you should maybe appreciate that you've got multiple takes of some terrific songs. Not trying to be overly sanctimonious here, just throwing out some food for thought.

Totes agree on Mojo Hand!! Thank you! It's a phenomenal album, no doubt, but Mojo has got such a different flavor for Brian's style. I also was drawn to it outright.

Brother Beck wrote:

This album is so good I find it hard to rank the songs in the traditional way.  After having the album for a while now, for me it would be more of a tier like this:

Absolute Top-Shelf Classics
Rosemary
Mojo Hand
Among Other Foolish Things
Nobody Wins
Open All Night

Really Really Really Great Songs
A Wonderful Life
Painkillers
Smoke
Red Lights
Long Drives
Honey Magnolia

Really Good Song
Steve McQueen

I'm honestly surprised at the lack of love for Mojo Hand - that is a song that hit me immediately as pretty damn awesome and I've only grown to love it more and more as time goes on.  In my opinion it is a bit of a stylistic curveball but not a dip in quality at all, whereas the song Steve McQueen really sticks out to me on the album as being slightly bland and not up to par.  It is the only one on the album I'm tempted to skip at all, even though it is a nice song that is beautifully produced.  Those other 11 songs though are absolutely killer and I am really looking forward to getting my hands on those b-sides we've heard so far as well as get a listen to Digging In The Dirt.

1. Red Lights
2. Rosemary
3. Open All Night
4. A Wonderful Life
5. Smoke
6. Nobody Wins
7. Mojo Hand
8. Honey Magnolia
9. Among Other Foolish Things
10. Painkillers
11. Long Drives
12. Steve McQueen

I would agree with Brother Beck on Steve McQueen though I don't dislike it - I find it very hard to seperate the rest.

1. Among Other Foolish Things
2. Rosemary
3. Open All Night
4. Steve McQueen
5. Honey Magnolia
6. Smoke
7. Red Lights
8. Long Drives
9. Painkillers
10. A Wonderful Life
11. Nobody Wins
12. Mojo Hand

1.Painkillers
2.Rosemary
3.Honey Magnolia
4.A Wonderful Life
5.Nobody Wins
6.Among Other Foolish Things
7.Open All Night
8.Smoke
9.Redlights
10.Steve Mcqueen
11.Long Drives (Molly and the Zombies version would be #1)
12.Mojo Hand

It's funny how some songs really grew on me on this record.

Honey Magnolia is probably my favorite now, and Open All Night is second close.

Honey Magnolia is such an incredible piece of songwriting. And Open All Night has some of the best lyrics.

1. A Wonderful Life
2. Nobody Wins
3. Honey Magnolia
4. Open All Night
5. Smoke
6. Red Lights
7. Mojo Hand
8. Among Other Foolish Things
9. Rosemary
10. Painkillers
11. Steve McQueen
12. Long Drives

Still think this is completely impossible, but I think I've narrowed down to Painkillers as my favourite. It's always the one I put on when I'm drunk, and we all know we're more honest when we're drunk!

I grew up a massive Bryan Adams fan, and that track does sound like an outtake from Reckless, so I'm not overly surprised. I do love the extended intro they've been doing live as well.