Remembering 'Anybody Listening?'

I wonder why the Queensryche tune "Anybody Listening?" is so underrated? Each time I listen to the track, I'm blown away by the sheer magnitude of the song.

I've mentioned the song a zillion times because it's one of my favorites. I listen to it in all moods - and when it comes on satellite radio, I nearly wreck the car to crank it up.

Feeling particularly blue and exhausted last night, I found myself listening to the song. It's so hard for me to believe the song is from Empire - and that means 1990. For me, "Anybody Listening" is timeless - and just doesn't sound dated. I think "Anybody Listening?" is probably my favorite Geoff Tate/Chris DeGarmo collaboration. The song always gets overshadowed by "Silent Lucidity" and "Another Rainy Night (Without You)" which just isn't fair. Yes, I love those tracks -- all the tracks! -- on Empire, but there's some weird feeling I get from "Anybody Listening."

I came along some old Spin.com article last night talking about the death of hair metal, to which I couldn't help but laugh because, 1) Glam isn't dead and, 2) the article tried to put the blame on Queensryche in a roundabout way.

Please.

The guys in Queensryche are great, by the way. I think - nay, truly believe - Geoff Tate is a genius. He doesn't have time to debase his band or brand by scoffing at other musical acts with which he might someday perform alongside. I've seen Queensryche several times - and each was with a legacy act. I doubt "hair metal" is really dead considering Queensryche sailed right along with RATT and Skid Row on Shiprocked last year.

So anyway, "Anybody Listening?" The song is special to me and the lyrics pure brilliance. What say you?

Comments

[looksthatkill]

I always thought "one more time" was another highly underrated tune by Queensryche

[Kiki Chrome]

I love 'Anybody Listening'. :) It's one of very few Queensryche songs on my iPod, and I agree that it's their best. It has so many layers... *sigh*

[Ryo Vie]

An EXTREMELY underrated song. Part of the reason is that it's the last track on the disc and most people never spent as much time on side 2 (ahhh - feeling nostalgc about cassettes I am) as they did on side 1. Side 1 had all the "hits." Side 2 got much less attention.

However, Anybody Listenng is not only a great song, it's a great closer for Empire as well.

Ryo Vie
http://rockandrollguru.blogspot.com

[Trinity]

I totally agree. this song is incredible on many levels. I miss DeGarmo's writing skills so much.

[JayD]

An awesome song. I was at the show in Spokane, WA where they shot the live parts of this video and it has ever since been my favorite Queensryche song.

[Shadow]

Wow, that article is just lackluster. This song is very good.I like me some Queensryche a bit. i do own mindcrime and like jet city woman. the lyrics are haunting where was this song senior year of high school? i really could've put this song to use last year!

[Gary]

I agree with Trinity. Chris DeGarmo wrote some really great, not just run of the mill hooks for songs. I always thought that "The Ryche" were kind of the thinking mans rock band of their era...

[JasonC]

Absolutely one of the best Queensryche tunes, and Empire is my fave QR album, hands down. Great song to end the album.

[Metalboy!]

Forgetting "Anybody Listening".

[Gator]

Metalboy - is that your shortest comment ever?!? Ha ha.

But I wanted to throw in my usual $.02 and mention that "Anybody Listening?" (gotta get the question mark in there!) is a great, vastly underrated Queensryche track, and a fantastic way to close the amazing Empire CD. I was lucky to hear them perform this song live once in 1991.

Another somewhat overlooked gem on Empire is the downbeat, yet still melodic "Della Brown". Their unplugged version on MTV is haunting and powerful.

[Metalboy!]

"?"

[nirVrana]

That is one of my favorite songs ever. I was so looking forward to hearing it on ShipRocked, since it is about sailing away and not returning, but oh well.
It became one of our theme songs on our family's cross country trip in 2005, the lyrics really spoke to us and it really helped pass the miles on some of the long driving days.
Tremendous tune, I always think their best songs are not their singles, it is frustrating that they put out some of the weirdest things and they don't catch on. Each album has some gems that most people have never heard, like One More Time and My Global Mind among many others.