James "Laid"

In college, one of our neighbors, a woman, proclaimed a song we were listening to was "about sex."

My roommate responded, "All rock songs are about sex."

I'm not certain he was wrong.

"Laid" is about amazing sex and the politics that surround it -- especially in a (sort of) relationship.

It introduces itself with soft, sensual guitar strums before quick, pulsating drums properly usher in the song.

Singer Tim Booth's vocal performance is outstanding. Many sequential lines in the verses have an octave and/or register shift while remaining on pitch. Some lines climb or drop entire octaves within themselves with very few slides.

However, the elongated sustains on "pretty" in each chorus is what makes the song most memorable -- and probably a pain in the ass at karaoke. Those "heee-eeee's" effortlessly slide between E4 and A5, and in the mid-'90s, Booth was only sometimes even a quarter note off during live performances.

As the song closes, Booth's "laiiiid" vocal refrain proves the perfect leadup to the instrumental climax.

Location: Michigan, USA

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