Here we are again. Its Tuesday, and its time for another Top Ten Tuesday request. This time we will be delving into the music of Suede (also known as The London Suede). The Suede-request comes from my fellow music lover and writer friend, Avery. I’m so excited that this is who he picked because I love Britpop, I love Suede, and I’ve somehow never done a Top Ten list of their music. This was great to do, and a lot harder then I expected.

Suede formed in London, in 1989, and was composed of Brett Anderson, Richard Oakes, Mat Osman, Bernard Butler, Simon Gilbert and Neil Codling. In 1992, Melody Maker dubbed the “The Best New Band in Britain”. Despite some Britpop resistance that Suede had, the band would be considered one of the Britpop “big four”, along with Pulp, Oasis, and Blur.

Four albums were released from Suede in the 90’s, their self-titled debut, Dog Man Star, Coming Up and Head Music. The band has had three other albums released since – A New Morning and Bloodsports, as well as Night Thoughts, released last year.

My first memory of Suede comes from my time working at Tower Records. The band’s 1996 album, Coming Up, was playing in the store and the song “Trash” hooked me immediately. A friend I worked with there was a huge fan of Suede, and raved about them to me that day (and a few other days). I’m always immediately reminded of him when I first turn on a Suede-song.

Skip ahead a few years, into the “early aughts”, and my Britpop band loves led me to a new crop of “Indie” bands I’d fall for, like The Libertines, The Strokes, The Killers, Kaiser Chiefs, The Cribs, The Fratellis, etc. I feel like, in a lot of ways, Suede was a gateway drug to those bands, even more than my other Britpop loves, Blur, Oasis, and Pulp.

After that first Suede-listen I got myself sonically fixated on the band, especially songs like “Trash”, “Metal Mickey” and “The Wild Ones”. I could hear bits of the Goth/Deathrock music I’d spun around to in the late 80’s, as well as a dash and dab of the Glam Rock I’d grown up loving during my 70’s childhood.

There was an edge to Suede that some of the other Britpop bands I loved didn’t seem to possess. Brett Anderson sounded considerably different vocally, as well, cutting a high-pitched knife where other singers of the Britpop ilk delivered it all with a more melodic tone and style.

I’ve been listening ever since, and have included a few songs into some of my writing before. They’ve definitely played muse for me a couple of times over. So, let’s have a listen to some of their songs – My Top 10 favorites.

Top Ten Suede Songs
Top Ten Tuesday

requested by Avery – available to stream on Spotify

1. “Trash”
from the album, Coming Up (1996)

“But we’re trash,
you and me.
We’re the litter on the breeze.
We’re the lovers on the streets.
Just trash,
me and you.
It’s in everything we do.”

2. “The Beautiful Ones”
from the album, Coming Up (1996)

“High on diesel and gasoline,
psycho for drum machine,
shaking their bits to the hits.”

3. “Filmstar”
from the album, Coming Up (1996)

“What to believe in when they change your name.
Wash your brain,
play the game again.”

4. “Animal Nitrate”
from the album, Suede (1993)

“Oh, it turns you on,
now he has gone.
Oh, what turns you on now your animal’s gone?”

5. “The Wild Ones”
from the album, Dog Man Star (1994)

“There’s a song playing on the radio,
sky high in the airwaves,
on the morning show.
And, there’s a lifeline slipping as the record plays,
And as I open the blinds,
in my mind,
I’m believing that you could stay.”

6. “Metal Mickey”
from the album, Suede (1993)

“We shake shake shake to the trumpet,
and through the slippery city we ride;
skyline swine on the circuit –
Where all the people shake their money in time.”

7. “My Insatiable One”
from the album, Suede (1993)

“Oh, he is gone.
He’s my insatiable one”

8. “My Dark Star”
from the album, Dog Man Star (1994)

“And she will rise.”

 9. “The Next Life”
from the album, Suede (1993)

“See you in your next life,
when we’ll fly away for good.”

10. “Europe is Our Playground
from the album, Coming Up (1996)

“Europe is our playground,
London is our town –
so, run with me baby now.”