At the 1986 Minnesota Music Awards, Dave Pirner, the charismatic frontman of Soul Asylum, declared upon accepting the Best Garage Band award, “We are here tonight to celebrate music, and music is not something that can be judged.” With all due respect, Dave, judging and ranking music is exactly what fans and critics alike love to do, especially when a band has a catalog as rich and compelling as Soul Asylum’s.
Soul Asylum holds a special place in the pantheon of alternative rock. Their music resonates because they crafted exceptional songs, delivered with raw energy and dynamic range. Beyond their musical prowess, their journey as a band is equally captivating. Hailing from Minneapolis, a city that birthed other iconic yet somewhat turbulent bands like The Replacements, Soul Asylum navigated the music industry with their own blend of brilliance and occasional missteps. While The Replacements embraced a chaotic path to legendary status, Soul Asylum, featuring Pirner, guitarist Dan Murphy, and their bandmates, achieved mainstream success in the mid-90s but later seemed to drift from the spotlight, often overlooked in contemporary discussions of the era’s best bands.
Their trajectory took them from the dizzying heights of a Top 10, Grammy-winning hit with “Runaway Train” to a more grounded reality, exemplified by a scene in the 2002 Wilco documentary I’m Trying to Break Your Heart. In it, Pirner is seen at a Wilco gig’s green room, innocently inquiring, “Is this food just like for anybody?” It’s a poignant reminder of the music industry’s fickle nature and the challenges of staying true to oneself amidst external pressures.
Dave Pirner continues to keep the Soul Asylum flame alive, recording and touring, while Dan Murphy retired his guitar in 2012 after their last charting album, Delayed Reaction, feeling he’d lost the necessary “naivete and swagger” for rock and roll. The band also mourned the passing of founding bassist Karl Mueller in 2006. This ranking focuses on Soul Asylum’s quintessential period, from their early beginnings in the 1980s up to 1995’s Let Your Dim Light Shine, celebrating the core of their impactful discography.
1. “Cartoon”
(Producers: Lenny Kaye & Ed Stasium)
Kicking off our list at number one is a Dan Murphy composition! While Dave Pirner was the primary songwriter for Soul Asylum, Murphy struck gold with “Cartoon,” a high-energy, irresistibly catchy single from their 1988 album, Hang Time. The lyrics delve into familiar Soul Asylum territory: alienation and self-deprecation. The dual lead vocals, shared by Dave and Dan, create a rich, almost frustrated vocal texture. Murphy’s guitar work shines, particularly in his melodic solo, showcasing his Les Paul’s vibrant tone. The repeated line, “It goes on and on, but it won’t go away,” encapsulates a relatable feeling of persistent, inescapable thoughts or situations.
2. “No Man’s Land”
(Producer: Chris Osgood)
“No Man’s Land,” from their 1986 album While You Were Out, is a powerful anthem for the disillusioned. This track perfectly captures Soul Asylum’s signature blend of urgency and resignation, a dichotomy that mirrored the feelings of young adults during the Reagan era. It speaks to a sense of being overwhelmed by corporate forces and societal pressures. The lyric “Where the kings of nothing rule, my friend. And you can’t make me leave,” becomes a defiant statement in the face of perceived powerlessness, a refusal to be displaced or silenced.
3. “Sometime to Return”
(Producers: Lenny Kaye & Ed Stasium)
Another gem from the Hang Time album, “Sometime to Return” feels like a raw, proto-grunge response to the era’s pervasive “Just Do It” mentality, epitomized by Nike’s aggressive advertising campaigns that began around the same time as the album’s release in 1988. Pirner’s lyrics articulate the frustrations of those who are diligently “doing it” – working hard, trying to succeed – but feeling like they are getting nowhere. “Doing the best I can, with or without a plan. I’m taking what I can get, but I haven’t seen nothing yet,” poignantly expresses this sense of unfulfilled effort and anticipation.
4. “Somebody to Shove”
(Producer: Michael Beinhorn)
The opening track and lead single from their 1992 breakthrough album Grave Dancers Union, “Somebody to Shove” became an instant concert opener for Soul Asylum. The song’s raw energy was palpable. The mosh pit that erupted from the first riff at a Detroit show during that tour underscored the decade of momentum Soul Asylum had built. While the song’s meaning remains somewhat open to interpretation (beyond general alienation), its references to land-line phones root it in a specific pre-digital era, adding a layer of nostalgia to its angst.
5. “Easy Street”
(Producer: Steve Jordan)
As Soul Asylum began to gain traction in 1990, their album title And the Horse They Rode in On seemed like a self-deprecating jab at their burgeoning success. Adding to the irony, the album cover featured a donkey. “Easy Street,” co-written by Dan Murphy and Dave Pirner, is a guitar-driven track that encapsulates a yearning for peace and ease, yet acknowledges a more turbulent reality. The line “this mess ahead” suggests a resigned acceptance of ongoing challenges despite the desire for a simpler path.
6. “Never Really Been”
(Producer: Bob Mould)
At their core, Soul Asylum’s songwriting often leaned into country-esque storytelling, crafting narratives of hardship and resilience with clever lyrical twists. However, a certain Midwestern modesty perhaps prevented them from fully embracing earnestness, as reflected in the lyric “never really been touched there.” “Never Really Been,” from their 1986 album Made to be Broken, produced by fellow Minneapolis music icon Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü, is a mid-tempo track with a country twang that showcases this blend of hard rock and heartland storytelling.
7. “Made to be Broken”
(Producer: Bob Mould)
The title track from Made to be Broken embodies a raw, slightly out-of-place energy, like a rock band unexpectedly finding themselves in a honky-tonk. It’s a song that doesn’t quite fit neatly into any genre, but its unpolished authenticity is part of its charm. Made to be Broken is an essential album for those who only know Soul Asylum from their 90s hits, offering a deeper dive into the band’s early, grittier sound. The lyric, “By the chill that you gave me I will ride,” evokes a sense of using emotional pain as fuel and motivation.
8. “Black Gold”
(Producer: Michael Beinhorn)
The second single from Grave Dancers Union, “Black Gold,” exemplifies the power of soft-loud dynamics. The official music video effectively captures this contrast, essential to appreciating the song’s impact. A memorable moment for many fans was their performance of “Black Gold” at Bill Clinton’s 1993 inaugural gala. Dave Pirner’s slightly awkward introduction and subsequent stumble during the song’s explosive loud section, caught on basic cable, became a cherished, if somewhat elusive, piece of Soul Asylum lore, though unfortunately edited out of most online clips. Despite the missing footage, the memory of this raw, human moment remains vivid for those who witnessed it.
9. “Heavy Rotation”
(Producers: Lenny Kaye & Ed Stasium)
Another standout track from Hang Time, “Heavy Rotation” hints at a harder, more aggressive sound that Soul Asylum could have fully embraced, perhaps even aligning them with the burgeoning Seattle grunge scene. While speculating about potential darker paths is speculative, “Heavy Rotation” undeniably showcases a raw, hardcore-influenced energy that predates and arguably set a benchmark for the flannel-clad bands of the Pacific Northwest. Pirner’s repeated “I Am” in the song encapsulates the struggle of simply “just trying to live with today,” a sentiment that resonates deeply.
10. “Just Like Anyone”
(Producer: Butch Vig)
“Just Like Anyone,” from Let Your Dim Light Shine, sparks lyrical interpretation. One intriguing theory, proposed by a fan, suggests the song is about a woman perceived as flawless. This contrasts with the official music video starring Claire Danes as an angel-winged outcast. Considering this alternative interpretation adds a layer of depth to the song, especially when listening to the version with strings recorded shortly after the album’s release in 1995, offering a richer emotional texture.
BONUS ALERT! “Misery”
(Producers: Butch Vig & Soul Asylum)
“Misery” is simply a great song, showcasing classic Pirner wordplay. The line, “I know what you’d pay to feel,” is particularly striking, suggesting a deep understanding of human emotion and longing. A live performance from 2005 captures the song’s energy, although perhaps missing the visual flair of Pirner’s signature dreadlocks in full swing.
You might be wondering about the absence of “Runaway Train” from this top 10. While undeniably a successful and well-known song, and deserving of its accolades, this list aims to spotlight other equally compelling tracks from Soul Asylum’s extensive catalog. Dave Pirner released new Soul Asylum music in 2020 with Hurry Up and Wait, featuring a refreshed lineup. While the new album is commendable, exploring their classic-period material remains essential for understanding Soul Asylum’s enduring appeal. This ranking is a celebration of their entire body of work, encouraging listeners to delve beyond the hits and appreciate the depth and breadth of their music.
For those who prefer uninterrupted listening, here is a Spotify playlist to enjoy these Soul Asylum tracks.
Connect with Soul Asylum’s world at www.soulasylum.com.
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