Welcome to Tune Talk!
Liner Notes
| Artist | Toad The Wet Sprocket |
| Song | All I Want |
| Album | fear |
| Year | 1991 |
I am a huge Toad fan! Those of you who are big fans as well probably already know this bit of trivia, but it’s always a fun story to share! The band actually took their name from a Monty Python sketch called “Rock Notes.” In the sketch Eric Idle parodies ridiculous band names.
The band thought it was hilarious and that it would be funny to see it in print on a flyer just one time as a joke. It took off from there, and lead singer Glen Phillips admitted decades later that it was a joke that went on too long. They never meant for it to be the actual band name, but by the time they became well known, it was too late to change it!
I love this song — I love just about everything Toad has ever done! Although the album came out in 1991, “All I want” didn’t find its way onto the radio until 1992, when radio stations finally began to realize what a great song it is. It was worth the wait though, ending up #15 on the Billboard Hot 100, which was a big deal for an alternative band at that time.
There are several great lines in this song, but my favorite one has to be:
“Nothing’s so cold as closing the heart when all we need is to free the soul.
But we wouldn’t be that brave, I know.“
Haven’t we all been there at some point in our lives?
As our individual ratings show, in this house, I am the only truly huge Toad fan. We all love a great deal of alternative music, but Lori has never been on the same page with me on this one, and I have always known that. As for our son, I think he falls somewhere in between how we both feel about Toad. His main reason for rating this one a 5 was, in his own words, “I kind of like it, but it was just too slow for me.”
Songs hit us all in different ways, and to me, that is one of the most amazing things about music. This one certainly ran the full range of feelings, from I don’t like it, to it’s ok, to I love it!
Ratings From The Road
| Ray | 8 |
| Lori | 4 |
| Max | 5 |
| Average Rating From The Road | 5.66 |
Now it’s your turn: How would you rate this song? Do you have a favorite line in the lyrics? Drop a comment and let us know!
“All I Want” gets a solid 7 from me. “Fear” was a good album, but I don’t think Toad hit their stride until “Dulcinea” which was near perfect. Great band. Their lesser know 2013 album “New Constellation” may even be my favorite. Saw them live shortly after it was released. Amazing show.
I agree that New Constellation was a great album, and to bookend that, I am also partial to their first album, Bread & Circus. While they may have fully hit their stride later, I always love hearing the more raw and unpolished sound that often comes on the first album of a band I love.