The music SY released after ATL I still love but it did not move me like the earlier stuff, which, for me, drove me away from the bombast of Heavy Metal and the repetitive nature of hardcore and punk, and took me to a new world of skronk RAWK.

I will force everyone to sit and listen to the full 30 minute version of Diamond Sea at my funeral though.......

just impossible to make up top 5.

I am glad to see Cross The Breeze and Inhuman on the lists.

bollox, I completely forgot to mention one of my all time fav's. Where The Red Fern Grows and Green Light.

What is funny is i am the polar opposite, i had been casually listening to sonic youth since 1992 but i didn't get passionate until ATL and sonic nurse is my favorite record

actually sonic nurse might be my 2nd fave after sister now that i think. it's so sexy.

If I could, I'd list all tracks of BMR. But seeing that this is a thread for standalone songs, here are my current favorites. Preferences may change over time as they have on several occasions in the past.

Intro + Brave Men Run (Gotta mention both of them, they sort of belong together)
Protect Me You
Star Power
Wish Fulfillment
NYC Ghosts & Flowers

Addendum:

Songs that used to be in my ever-changing/rotating top five in the past:

Sunday
Paper Cup Exit
Inhuman (The first time SY really blew my mind)
Green Light
Rats
The Diamond Sea
I Dreamed I Dream


Edit: Hell, I still feel like I'm leaving out so many great songs. This is an incredibly tough choice.

Agreed making and reading this thread made me realize that i adore just about every single Sonic Youth song ever.. really! all day i've been trying to think about making a "yr worst 5" somgs that id always skip past and honestly i couldn't think of any! Not even from the muchmaligned EJSTNS

1. Schizophrenia
2. Dirty Boots
3. Rain On Tine
4. Wildflower Soul
5. Sympathy For The Strawberry

The top 4 are always there but there are so many songs that could be number 5

I think Sonic Nurse equals Sonics in their peak. stunning album. especially live. not my fav. but one of.

It was indeed a masterpiece live

first five songs off the vinyl version of NYC ghost and flowers.

not a bad idea,
and yeah...

Never thought of it before but I think you're right.

Also just dawned on me that the only track I listed not sung by Kim was an instrumental.

While I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment, we all know it doesn't hold up to intense scrutiny. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think we can all agree that 'Sleepin' Around' is a puke-fest. We thought it was a puke-fest BEFORE we learned it was autobiographical. BARF!! I don't even have to leave Rather Ripped to submit another...'Lights Out'. Absolutely terrible. Rather Ripped isn't one of their best efforts, but it has some all-time greats like 'Pink Steam', 'Turquoise Boy', and 'Reena'. I think there are approximately 10 songs in SY's entire catalog that are skip-worthy. That's a damn low percentage, for sure...

Posting first, then going back and reading thread...pretty tough to narrow it to just 5, but here's my list

1. Unwind
2. Theresa's Sound World
3. Brother James
4. Stereo Sanctity
5. Hoarfrost

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Read this and had a good chuckle. As morbid as the thought might be, I must admit I have had the very same one. Mine is during the actual lowering of the casket. Could there be any better send-off?

And pretty interesting choices on some of these lists. I always enjoy these threads.

Sleeping Around is their worst song BY FAR

I actually liked sleeping around.. its got a groove

Songs i skip...
Providence
Little trouble girl
My friend goo
I'm Insane
Starfield Road


Interestingly even though i consistently rank EJSTNS as the "worst sonic youth album" i checked it out again and realized i actually like a lot of songs on it

I have seen at least one more person having same idea on this forum (diamond sea/funeral).
Pauly Bee...anyone? haven't heard of him in ages..hope he is alright.