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Favorite 10 PJ Harvey Songs

PJ Harvey is pretty relevant on the site right now and she's like my 3rd favorite artist of all time, so here yah go. No John Parish included, it was hard enough making this as is. No Rid of Me or Stories somehow, but honorable mentions to "50ft Queenie" and "Good Fortune" for nearly making it.
10PJ Harvey
Uh Huh Her


"The Life and Death of Mr. Badmouth"

Uh Huh Her as a whole is blatantly worse than her other 8 albums almost to an obvious degree, but wow is the opener magnificent. The vocal effects are haunting and the guitar line is crushing. It's PJ doing what she does best, being dark and forewarning, but turned up to 11. Your lips taste of poison and you're going to be the unhappy one for lying to PJ, just you wait Mr. Badmouth! She poisoned him as revenge how crazy, thrilling, and over the top!
9PJ Harvey
Dry


"Hair"

A typical song about Samson and Delilah, but she plays both parts. The opening guitar line is catchy as all hell and she does such an entertaining falsetto as Delilah. The Chorus Verse Chorus structure is so obviously Pixies inspired (I mean she got Steve Albini to produce Dry and everything) and it works so well that it serves as the pinnacle of Dry for me.
8PJ Harvey
The Hope Six Demolition Project


"A Line in the Sand"

Okay, so Hope Six wasn't perfect, but I honestly think this song is. PJ's first taste of psychedelics works so well and the sax really compliments the haunting guitar line (see a theme here?) while her political lyrics might be a bit questionable if set to different music, they fit so well with the tone of the song that I don't even bother to question them here.
7PJ Harvey
To Bring You My Love


"Down by the Water"

To Bring You My Love is such a masterpiece to me and this song is one of the many highlights. The buzzing bassline, the maracas, the creepy string section. PJ sure loves singing about murdering people...and here she murdered her daughter and prays to God for her back, it's a futile effort though...

She also shows her blues influence by borrowing Led Belly's ""little fish, big fish swimming in the water" from his song "Salty Dog Blues."
6PJ Harvey
Let England Shake


"The Glorious Land"

Now these are political lyrics done right. The trumpet part and the flowy guitar line set the mood so well and the way she says "Oh America, oh Engaaaland" is perfectly sing songy. Now tell me PJ: is the fruit of England really orphaned and deformed children? Because if so, holy shit. It's a great war song and definitely the hardest hitter on here for me.
5PJ Harvey
Is This Desire?


"Is This Desire?"

PJ is already was the master of sounding emotionally cold and depressed, especially on her dark albums like Is This Desire? On the title track PJ really uses this to her best emotional as she sounds like she's about to brake down in tears. She doesn't love him, but she doesn't want to be alone. PJ's lyrics could easily be enjoyed written as poems on paper, especially on this album and her ability to create depressing characters is really accentuated here. Personally I can't get enough of it. Plus the guitar line is really solemn and memorable.
4PJ Harvey
To Bring You My Love


"Meet Ze Monsta"

The guitar line buzzes like lightning, her heavy breathing is used as an instrument, and the drums crash like the tidal wave. And what's the song about? Being taken (presumably killed by) a huge monsoon. The scream at the end of the song immediately end it as she's presumably engulfed by water. The is cryptic, epic, and most important paints a vivid picture in my mind. This is the kind of song that plays during the most important scene in a drama movie.
3PJ Harvey
White Chalk


"Dear Darkness"

Oh my god, even the piano is sad in this. PJ's character here is so used to times being terrible that she's almost afraid of attempting to break the trend. She makes the darkness seem beautiful, like she's content in her sadness and the autoharp is breathtaking. Comfortability in sadness, fear of happiness. It captures depression a little too well.
2PJ Harvey
Is This Desire?


"My Beautiful Leah"

Electronic beats and brooding, Leah's love goes out looking for someone to love her, not realizing someone already does, it's so melodramatic but also beautiful. The singer tries to find her and tell her that he/she loves her, but fails to do so. What might not make sense at first is how didn't she realize the singer loved her? I personally interpret the singer as a mother or father, and that Leah's big concern was in finding a boyfriend whom she'd be with forever, forgetting or not thinking that love of her parents was enough, but I guess the singer could be anyone who loves her. The song takes a darker turn when the singer finds out Leah killed herself after months of searching. Jesus christ. The song is one of the most depressing things I've ever heard without coming off as corny or cringey, good job PJ, I'm going to go into a fetal position now.
1PJ Harvey
To Bring You My Love


"C'mon Billy"

Billy runs out on his pregnant lover, she gives birth and wants to get back with him so her son can have a father. She sounds desperate and this is oddly such a realistic situation. Not to mention that the acoustic guitar line is so infectiously catchy and backed by a beautiful string arrangement. The cello in specific really stands out. PJ really finds the best balance of beauty and sadness, no wonder she dated Nick Cave, it makes me wonder if he influenced her dark turn in sound...

Also watch this amazing music video, it adds to story as she tries to seduce Billy to come back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr1j3GfJuR4
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