Green River Songs Ranked

Green River was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984. Although the band had a very little commercial impact outside their native Seattle, Green River was the pioneer of the grunge music genre. The grunge style was featured both in Green River’s own music and the music its members would create in future bands, including Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone, Temple of the Dog, and Pearl Jam. Green River reunited for several live shows in 2008 and 2009. Green River was formed in 1984 by vocalist/guitarist Mark Arm, guitarist Steve Turner, drummer Alex Vincent, and bassist Jeff Ament. Guitarist Stone Gossard joined the band later to allow Arm to concentrate on singing. Here are all of Green River’s songs ranked.

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10. Swallow My Pride (Rehab Doll, 1988)

“Swallow My Pride” describes a lover’s disdain for his girlfriend’s feverish American patriotism, characteristic of many so-called Reaganites during the time of the song’s writing.”

9. Rehab Doll (Rehab Doll, 1988)

“Green River is probably best known as Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament’s pre-Pearl Jam (and Mother Love Bone) band which is a pity, because Green River were a lot better than Pearl Jam. Mark Arm’s vocals have an intensity and personality that Eddie Vedder lacks. Mudhoney also had intensity (and its signature fuzz sound) but not to the degree Green River did. Green River ended after only three EP’s sadly. “

8. Ain’t Nothin’ to Do (Dry as a Bone/Rehab Doll, 1990)

“The b-side is their take on The Dead Boys’ “Ain’t Nothin’ To Do” and local fans may be the only ones to understand the KCMU reference. It almost sounds just like The Dead Boys. It’s this song that the reformed band has been closing their shows with (KCMU being changed to KEXP) and it couldn’t be more fitting. You know, there really isn’t that much of a difference between the original early Alice Cooper band and The Dead Boys. This single kinda’ proves that.”

7. Searchin’ (Dry as a Bone, 1987)

“The meaning seems pretty obvious. The song is (intensely) dark and funny at the same time. Good beat, great transition into bridge and chorus.”

See more: Green River Albums Ranked

6. Unwind (Dry as a Bone, 1987)

“Unwind” is without a doubt the most original blues update I have ever heard from any group of guys of European-American descent. What starts as an apparent tongue-in-cheek blues reference smolders and then detonates with Arm’s decapitated growl. Stone Gossard is absolutely brilliant throughout this CD, and this track especially is his showcase. Amazing.”

5. Ozzie (Dry as a Bone, 1987)

“Ozzie” is a stroke of genius. From the quirky opening sample of what sounds like some 1940’s Humphrey Bogart film to Arm’s ear-numbing werewolf impersonations, it is a testament to the band’s disturbingly skewed take on the art of rock n roll, as they try to get into the head of the serial murderer who had just started to gain infamy in 1980’s Seattle. Great solo, too.”

4. Smiling and Dyin’ (Rehab Doll, 1988)

“Green River rocks and if you don’t like it, then you don’t know how to. Grunge guitar, soaring vocals, heavy bass and flipped out lyrics. This stuff made me crazy in my bedroom, when I listened to it.”

See more: Alter Bridge Albums Ranked

3. P.C.C. (Dry as a Bone, 1987)

“One of the first true grunge songs. Amazing song. As far as the meaning, it’s like this kind of existential motif that I notice used to come up in a lot of early Seattle/SubPop stuff (for example, nirvana’s “Stain” which came out much later, and quite a few Soundgarden and Tad songs). Emotional distance from death and suffering in the world as a coping mechanism. The subject of the song drops out to avoid being the kind of bastard one has to be to get by in the world. I won’t play the game if I can’t win. It was distinctively Mark Arm’s song, though.”

2. Baby Takes (Dry as a Bone, 1987)

“I think this is their most powerful song. It is incredibly unique, it hints at a huge building crescendo, then actually delivers, and rides the momentum.”

1. This Town (Dry as a Bone, 1987)

“This Town” is almost amazing in itself. It should be Green River’s aural manifesto, had it not been for the preceding EP “Come on Down”. As such, it is full of what made this band so great – the unrelenting, complex (for a garage band) melding of punk, metal, and white boy blues. Mark Arm has never sounded so angry and suicidal.”