"Session" - Song by Song, Let's Talk Linkin Park

Discussion in 'Linkin Park Chat' started by hawk, Jul 2, 2014.

  1. Wizardofozil

    Wizardofozil Well-Known Member

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    This song change my life.
     
  2. Louis

    Louis Message me if you need to talk. We love you all. LPA Team

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    I'll go over both songs since I missed "By Myself."

    I really do enjoy that song. I love the aggressiveness of the guitar part in the opening, but I do appreciate the lyrics and sound of the older demos. The remix on Reanimation is really great. I love how the screaming bridge just carries the song out - it gives it a lot of power. The mix-up of the chorus is great too. All around good song with staying power.

    As far as "In the End" is concerned, it's obviously iconic for the band - perhaps their most famous song in that era. It's the classic song structure, but it's easily what made them really, really famous after all. I do like the remix better, as the changed lyrics to me are fantastic. The Reanimation version just sounds kind of funky and hip-hop oriented, which is nice in contrast to the rock sound of its original.

    The demo is best, though. The verses are far better, in my opinion. And I love how the bridge starts slow and builds. I also love how the sound effect that introduces the song is changed as the song fades out, whereas on the album it's the same. I dno, I genuinely like all versions of it. Tony covers a lot of why each of these songs is good, so thank you Tony. :lol:
     
  3. Andreina

    Andreina Proud Venezuelan LP fan. LPA Contributor

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    I missed By Myself too.. It's a great song.

    As for In the End, I won't deny it was stuck on my heard for weeks and one of the first songs I learned from the band, which made me "proud" because I could pronounce all the world, an achievement for a 12 year old hispanic girl :lol: .. But as the years went by, it just became overplayed for me and even got a bit annoyed of referencing that song to my friends when I knew there was lots of songs better than that one. I can still listen to it and throughly enjoy it depending on the moment, if I'm with friends or something. I prefer though its Reanimated version (#swag) and of course the demo, despite having the same music, I love the demo, especially on the verses.

    Definitely a classic and an iconic one to neutrals, but not the kind I'd purposedly hit play on my MP3, like many others more from the catalog.
     
  4. hawk

    hawk because the internet LPA Super VIP

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    A Place For My Head / Plc.4 Mie Hæd



     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 13, 2016
  5. Filip

    Filip god break down the door LPA Contributor

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    [​IMG]

    Possibly my favorite song from the ''old LP'', loved it since the first listen of Hybrid Theory. The intro guitar riff is just amazing, and the scratching fits perfect with it. I think I would have liked it even more if the guitar wasn't put on that distorsion during the verses. By the way, the verses are perfect, love the opening lines. The chorus is classic, and I think Chester still pulls it off quite nicely. I especially like the performance of the song from Rock in Rio Lisboa back in May of 2012. The way they opened that set is incredible. The bridge, along with the ''stay away'' screams and Mike's final rap verse is my favorite part of the song. Just crazy. Over the years I've started to really appreciate and like the bassline in the song. Since my first listen of Lies Greed Misery I felt like the track was modelled off A Place For My Head, with the repeating of the ''you did it to yourself'' line 4 times softly, and then 4 times screaming, just like in A Place For My Head. But I love that track aswell, possibly more than this one, too.

    Plc.4 Mie Hæd is one of the highlights on Reanimation aswell. Like most of Reanimation, the track has a much more hip hop/electronica feel than the original, only to explode in the chorus. I love the way they altered the chord structure to the chorus. I love Zion's verse, it compliments the entire track quite nicely. I love how they sampled the ''go away'' screams right before the breakdown, and how that last one gets fucked up a bit. The bridge is just mental, one of my favorite moments on Reanimation. The piano at the end of the track is beautiful aswell.

    So, yeah, from the original to the remix, not much wrong with this track.
     
  6. minuteforce

    minuteforce Danny's not here, Mrs. Torrance. LPA Team

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    When I first heard it, "A Place For My Head" was a song which was especially distinctive to me. At that time, that bridge and outro made for the heaviest, most ferocious song that I had ever heard, and I was fascinated by it. Even as "Hybrid Theory" is so consistent sonically, I still consider it to be heaviest song on the album. A fair few songs feature Chester's screaming but I felt that "A Place For My Head" showcased it better than any other. My favourite thing about the song, though, is that, after the climactic bridge, there's a chorus and you guess that the song's done ... but, then, it breaks down and builds back up for a whole other section with Chester screaming - kind of, like, "we're not fucking done yet" - and I love that.

    In 2003, I acquired a copy of the "In The End" single which included a 2001 live recording of "A Place For My Head". This was the first recording of Linkin Park playing live that I ever heard and I remember being underwhelmed. The intro felt much slower and sounded so different than it did on the album version. I didn't realise then that Shinoda sang a harmony part in the chorus so I thought it was some sort of live vocal effect. The recording quality was a few notches below what we're used to today, due to a few different factors. Overall, I wasn't blown away by it then. That "In The End" single also included "Step Up", which I had also never heard before and really knew nothing about. :)

    Later that year, I bought "Live In Texas" right as it was released. It was very expensive. Hearing that live recording of "A Place For My Head" was an entirely different experience, partly because there was video as well. "Live In Texas" was my first look at the band's live performance, and, to this day, I hold "Live In Texas" in very high regard as a live recording. It sounds fantastic. Anyway, the performance seen in "Live In Texas" features an extended intro where the drum trigger samples repeat and Chester screams over the top while Shinoda hypes up the crowd. I was twelve at this time and it just sounded dangerous, like something out a horror movie. Anyway, it became clear to me that, played live, "A Place For My Head" is straight monstrous and - if I can exaggerate a little - makes the album version sound like a fucking lullaby in comparison. Chester's added screaming to the verses kicks it up to a whole new level, Brad and Phoenix are seen just going crazy playing their parts; the energy is just immense. The lengthy, quiet lead-in before the bridge explodes is masterfully handled - so much tension! And, to top it all off, Chester swears at the end (as he does most of the time). The whole thing is fantastic, and definitely one of the biggest highlights on the live DVD.

    I went to see Linkin Park live during the "A Thousand Suns" tour in late 2010, and they had been using elements of "A Place For My Head" in the extended "Bleed It Out" bridge every now and again. During the set which I saw, I had anticipated hearing that "A Place For My Head" bridge, but Shinoda and Chester instead sang the chorus from "Burning In The Skies" in its place, the first time that they ever played anything from that song at all. So, to this day, having seen the band perform three times now, I still haven't heard a single note of "A Place For My Head" live.

    The "Reanimation" remix, "PLC.4 Mie Hæd", was my favourite track on the album at one point. The only thing that stops it from being a favourite now is Zion's verse, which, while I don't hate it, is the least-interesting part of the track for me. The thing that I love about "PLC.4 Mie Hæd" is the solemness that comes from the soft pads and piano parts, which I think give the song new depth. The big extended bridge/outro section is definitely one of the best parts of the whole album for me. That section just builds and builds; more vocal layers are added to up the intensity ... and, at the same time, this new and very different progression, topped with soft, solemn minor piano, plays out underneath. The contrast between the screaming and the beat underneath is disarmingly beautiful. The whole thing is epic and beautiful. To me, it's the musical representation of screaming and fighting until there's no strength left and a sense of futility just drowns it all out. You would never have expected to hear a moment like that in a remix of "A Place For My Head", or even on any "remix album" at all. And, while not every fan might like "Reanimation" because it isn't all ~RAWK~ or whatever, moments like that are why I consider "Reanimation" to be a big example of Linkin Park going above and beyond people's expectations. And I imagine that expectations were low after that remix album which Limp Bizkit had released in 2001.

    Later on, I discovered what seemed like an infinite number of demo versions of "A Place For My Head" and I realised that the chorus harmony which Shinoda used to sing live was a remnant from these early versions. I used to be able to recite information about them all, but that was a decade ago; now, my media library contains only the one that's featured on the 11th Linkin Park Underground CD. I've never really examined the lyrics and I don't really understand what Shinoda's rapping about but it's fun to listen to. Because of the recording quality, the more intense sections really lack energy when compared to the final version of the song heard on "Hybrid Theory".
     
  7. Atticus

    Atticus Bullets lance the bravest lungs

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    A Place For My Head fires on all cylinders... all the time. The intro is subtle, yet builds a tense, brooding atmosphere where you just know shit is about to go down. Mike's verses here are definitely his highlight on the album, featuring darkly poetic lyrics. Brad displays a talent in making an infectious guitar hook that remains long after the song is over. Chester rises above all the other members though for a stunning, gritty performance. His chorus is super aggressive, but as we all know, the bridge is where the song takes flight into the stratosphere. Very few songs I have ever heard have showcased a rising tension so masterfully as in A Place For My Head. It sends chills everywhere. And then the bridge explodes delivering an incredibly satisfying climax.

    In a live setting, this song is simply monstrous. The fact that a non-single from 14 years ago can develop so much energy from the crowd is awe-inspiring. Every time the intro riff goes off, the crowd just goes ballistic. It's one of the few songs in the band's repertoire that is played consistently well, and is always a highlight of the show. It's played so well in fact, that I'd consider most performances to be far superior to the studio setting. Not to mention, placing bits and pieces of it in Bleed It Out for the A Thousand Suns tour was pure genius. Whoever came up with that idea is beyond brilliant.

    Overall A Place For My Head is my favourite song from Hybrid Theory, and quite possibly my favourite song from Linkin Park's nu-metal era in general.
     
  8. minuteforce

    minuteforce Danny's not here, Mrs. Torrance. LPA Team

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    Yes! I think that that shows how good the song is live; people remember it because of the live performances more than anything else.
     
  9. The Joesen One

    The Joesen One Fun-employed LPA Super Member

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    One of my least favorite LP songs. I just didn't work for me.
     
  10. Sonic

    Sonic Searching for the last Chaos Emerald... LPA Super Member

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    A Place for My Head was the very first song I heard from the band while playing an XGames demo on I think PlayStation or PlayStation 2, can't remember. It's one of the more underrated songs on Hybrid Theory, and as the case with much of the other demos that came before the final product, Esaul had better lyrics and even better flow from Mike. It's also a crowd pleaser at live shows.
     
  11. lime treacle

    lime treacle You are not alone Über Member

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    Hmm... this song is probably tied with "Breaking the Habit" as the best song in the HT / M era.
     
  12. Tyler

    Tyler Well-Known Member

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    The demo versions have some very good lyrics too, well, except for the bridge. Those have some really powerful rapping from Mike. I'd like to see them put the work into their next songs like they did for this, since it was worked on a lit since the days as Hybrid Theory.

    Also, one of the best versions of Bleed It Out is any of the versions with Reading My Eyes v1>Rob Drum Solo>APFMH
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2014
  13. Mark

    Mark Canadian Beauty LPA Administrator

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    APFMH is probably my favourite song on HT, with PMA being a very close second. Unbelievable live track, especially when the band lets the crowd scream the "go away" parts in the bridge. Probably the band's most imagery-laden and poetic song (or at least top-5), which is a nice juxtaposition to how aggressive it is. Love Mike's aggressive rapping and I've missed that in recent years on the band's latest releases. No bragging or chest-thumping, just pure emotion.
     
  14. Jack_Farrell

    Jack_Farrell KTTK is Chester suicide-diving off a cliff naked

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    Best chit on HT with Forgotten for sure. Plc.4 Mie Haed best chit on Reanimation. Esaúl best chit from the 1996-1999 era with RME and Part of Me.
     
  15. Louis

    Louis Message me if you need to talk. We love you all. LPA Team

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    It has been pretty much noted by everyone how excellent of a song this is to perform live. I remember fondly its performance on the "Live in Texas" DVD. I loved the introduction and just how intense that song was in its introduction and during the bridge. As others have noted, it is particularly impressive how a song that was not a single has such strong reception by fans everywhere.

    I always very much liked this song, but I strongly prefer its demo "Esaul." Obviously, the sound quality takes away from some of the intensity. However, I love how hectic Mike's verses are, and just how much more crazed Chester's screaming is. I also think his singing during the choruses is a lot more spooky, much in the style of Jonathan Davis. I dno - that's perhaps one of the best Linkin Park songs out there - and it's a demo.

    The Reanimation remix is strong - and I love the outro. Like I believe Tony said earlier, I love how it continues and adds layers as it goes, to the point where you feel as though Chester has nothing left to give at the end. It's very powerful, and I actually do like Zion's verse in that song. Granted, it is the weakest part of the song, but I think it adds a different taste.

    All around strong song - definitely very memorable.
     
  16. Filip

    Filip god break down the door LPA Contributor

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    Quick question, we're doing Recharged with Living Things, right?
     
  17. Tyler

    Tyler Well-Known Member

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    They might as well but I think it would be better just to do it on the songs that have new material like IBG with Vice, Pusha T, and Mike or ALTNC. Since the Reanimation ones are on here it seems right
     
  18. hawk

    hawk because the internet LPA Super VIP

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    yes, we will. hopefully people stick around long enough to get that far.

    question, aside from the six studio albums, what songs would you like to discuss? i'm on the wall about things like "Collision Course" and "New Divide", etc.
     
  19. Louis

    Louis Message me if you need to talk. We love you all. LPA Team

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    I feel like it should go like this: Hybrid Theory / Reanimation --> Meteora --> Collision Course --> Minutes to Midnight (including No Roads Left, maybe?) --> New Divide --> A Thousand Suns --> LIVING THINGS / Recharged --> The Hunting Party.
     
  20. Tyler

    Tyler Well-Known Member

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    When we finish Hybrid Theory, we may want to glance over the early songs that didn't make the cut from Xero and Hybrid Theory days..
     

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