50 Definitive Beastie Boys Songs

23. Sabotage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5rRZdiu1UE If this isn't one of the first songs you think of when you think of early 90's MTV, you better check your head (sorry, couldn't resist). Most well known for its Spike Jonze (obviously) directed video, Sabotage is a raging peace of fuzz metal garage rock. The Beasties had been playing the song as an instrumental for a while and didn't come up with lyrics for it until it was right before time to hand in the final version of Ill Communication to their label.

22. The Move

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2-onMKJd6w The second song off Hello Nasty, The Move is a good example of the Beasties use of obscure and seemingly random sampling. At one point there is a sweet harpischord sample and by the end of the song, a portion of "El Rey y Yo" by Los Angelos Negros. This is also a good song to blast in your car if you are trying to blow out your speakers thanks to its thunderous bass booms. Stand out line: "I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast/But I'm intercontinental when I eat French toast"

21. High Plains Drifter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR-VuDc61aE This underrated song off of Paul's Boutique tells the vivid story of a "High Plains Drifter", who has been committing crimes and is on the run from the police. He eventually gets caught and sent to court where he escapes and hits the road again. The song has a pretty basic beat and throbbing bass, but what stands out most is the fact that the chorus is sung in a round That's not exactly something you see often, if ever in hip hop. It can be considered a companion to Paul Revere. Stand out line: "Cause I'm the high plains drifter, the best that you can get/A strapped shoplifter, a pirate on cassette"
Contributor
Contributor

I'm a 21st century digital boy, I don't know how to read but I've got a lot of toys. Follow me on Twitter! @LampsForSale