Barenaked Ladies Songs Ranked
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian rock band formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario. The band developed a cult following in Canada, with their self-titled 1991 cassette becoming the first independent release to be certified gold in Canada. They reached mainstream success in Canada when their debut with Reprise Records, Gordon, featuring the singles “If I Had $1000000” and “Brian Wilson”, was released in 1992. The band’s success was subsequently translated into the U.S., beginning with versions of “Brian Wilson” and “The Old Apartment” off their 1996 live album Rock Spectacle, followed by their 1998 fourth studio album Stunt which was their breakout success. The album featured their highest-charting hit, “One Week” as well as “It’s All Been Done”. Their fifth album, Maroon also charted highly featuring the lead single “Pinch Me”. In the 2010s, the band became well-known for creating the theme song for the sitcom “The Big Bang Theory”. The band’s style has evolved throughout their career, and their music which began as exclusively acoustic quickly grew to encompass a mixture of an array of styles including pop, rock, hip hop, rap, etc. The band’s live performances feature comedic banter and free-style rapping between songs. They have won multiple Juno Awards and have been nominated for two Grammy Awards. The group has sold over 15 million records, including albums and singles, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in March 2018. Here are all of Barenaked Ladies songs ranked.
Enjoy listening to this Canadian rock band. Click below and enjoy the alternative and folk-rock fusion music of Barenaked Ladies.
20. Am I the Only One? (Maybe You Should Drive, 1994)
“Most likely the best song on the album has a solid point too. Ed began writing it about his girlfriend (now his wife) but in the process of writing the song his brother died in a motorcycle accident, so it ended up being a dedication to his brother.”
19. Odds Are (BNL Rocks Red Rocks, 2016)
“Fantastic song. Odds are they are going to sell a million of these and don’t need my review to help, but what the heck. I really enjoyed the upbeat message and really clever lyrics. If you haven’t seen the video make sure you do. It was absolutely hilarious. Go do it now, you will thank me.”
18. Told You So (Stunt, 2018)
“Told You So’ is a sort of love-hate relationship between a man and woman. old You So”, has an alternative rhyme pattern and artful lyrics that make it super duper!”
17. Hello City (Gordon, 1992)
“Hello City, eases you right into an instrumentally comforting album. It also brings a jazz angle that adds to the warmth of the record. But the true star of the show has to be the bass. Jim Creeggan and his upright bass are everywhere and nowhere at the same time, as a bassist should be. He knows exactly when to push onward and when to lay back and let the rest of the band do their thing”
See more: Barenaked Ladies Albums Ranked
16. Grade 9 (Gordon, 1992)
“Grade 9 was my anthem at the beginning of my Grade 9 year! To me, Gordon is that one album that I revisit every once in a while and forget how good it really is until I take another listen. Despite its flaws, Gordon is a pretty charming, fun record that shows a surprising amount of emotional maturity, but strikes a keen balance as to not give off the vibe that the band takes themselves too seriously.”
15. Alcohol (Stunt, 1998)
“Alcohol’ discusses the behavior of a typical alcoholic, not the typical subject of a song for BNL, yet this is not a typical BNL album. After ‘Alcohol’ the album remains with its serious and solemn tone.”
14. Light Up My Room (Stunt, 1998)
“Light Up My Room” literally makes no sense to me, but the feeling behind it is great. You don’t understand exactly what is being sung about, but you know there’s some sentimental feeling behind it. Kind of like listening to a sad song in a foreign language. I like it.”
13. Jane (Maybe You Should Drive, 1994)
“I really have no reason for enjoying this song as much as I do. It’s not particularly interesting musically or lyrically, and I don’t feel that it does the best job of encapsulating who the Barenaked Ladies are. But there’s something about Jane that I find indescribably soothing. Perhaps it’s the instrumental, which is about as jangly as BNL got and not too terribly far off from bands like R.E.M.”
12. Blame It on Me (Gordon, 1992)
“The lyrics on this record have a surprising amount of emotional weight to them for a band as goofy as Barenaked Ladies is. They are carried by vocals from Steven Page and Ed Robertson, who both have a role to play in making this album work.”
11. Shoe Box (Born on a Pirate Ship, 1996)
“It’s BNL’s strongest album for me. It brings everything I want and more from this group, and while the last few tracks aren’t exactly my thing to look forward to every time I listen, it doesn’t stop me from enjoying myself. Page and Robertson at their finest.”
10. It’s All Been Done (Stunt, 1998)
“The Baby Blues cartoon! This song is pretty much the best thing about that show but it makes me feel nostalgic! Power pop, very 60’s and 70’s. The lead singer reminds me of that of Irish band Horslips. A good song.”
9. Big Bang Theory Theme (2008-12-31: New Years Eve at the Fox Theatre: Detroit, MI, USA, 2009)
“I think I enjoy the theme song more than the show it came from. The Barenaked Ladies manage a catchy tune in its own right, and it’s quirky enough to fit with the theme of the TV series.”
8. Alternative Girlfriend (Maybe You Should Drive, 1994)
“A very upbeat, rocking song. I don’t find it to be very catchy, but love it. -Another love song with a twist, about different sort of girlfriend.”
7. What a Good Boy (Gordon, 1992)
“This song has great lyrics. I’m more of a lyrics person. “…chains, hanging ’round our necks. People want to strangle us with them, before we take our first breath.” I like the album version, better than the live version.”
See more: Phil Ochs Albums Ranked
6.The Old Apartment (Born on a Pirate Ship, 1996)
“The Old Apartment is a wonderful little story, pretty hard rocking for BNL, and I just love how the narrator tells his story of trying to cope with a broken relationship and change. Gorgeous.”
5. Falling for the First Time (Maroon, 2000)
“The song is lyrically brilliant and the music is extremely catchy. It is a great song about the pains of growing up and finding yourself.”
4. If I Had $1,000,000 (Gordon, 1992)
“The song itself is a lighthearted love song, and I have listened to it now on numerous occasions for two primary reasons: first, it’s just a great song; second, it helped me prepare for my initial karaoke outing on a cruise ship. The quirky lyrics, ranging from exotic pets to John Merrick’s remains, are humorous, quirky, and actually work well as a sweet and endearing song.”
3. Pinch Me (Maroon, 2000)
“I used to love their music growing up. Its a shame they don’t do music anymore. I was hoping they would still be carrying on. Maybe they will reunite one day”
2. Brian Wilson (Gordon, 1992)
“Heard this song on the radio and had forgotten how much I liked it. Talk about a very peppy song that gets my energy going in the morning.”
1. One Week (Stunt, 1998)
“Immensely catchy, fun, and with a great beat, this song was a massive hit which eventually found its way on to a car advertisement, by which time the bubble had well and truly burst.”
