Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

after the Dubnobass vote, many people disagreed about the merits of Cowgirl and i just wondered had Rez been on the album whether that would have outlasted Cowgirl in a vote...

so seeing as Rez is 'basically' an instrumental of Cowgirl (and similar to some degree)....i just wanted to poll you lot to see which is more popular in a one off battle, personally I prefer Rez to Cowgirl, its more pounding, and the vocals in Cowgirl distract from the instrumetation behind the track, whereas Rez is a full on dancefloor pounder...

anyway...lets see what you lot think...

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

Rez is on my version of STITI.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

Head-to-head, i think "Cowgirl" is a more pounding, anthemic track. The record version of "Rez", is mostly pretty "mimby-pimby", to quote Rick Smith. I'll grant you that it blisters live, sure. "Cowgirl" on the other hand builds more quickly and contains more elements. The vocoded lyrics carry a lot of menace, which i like, and i'm always floored by the dropped beat just as Karl sings "this electric stream" and the reemergence of pounding bass at "tears in league with wires and energy"

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

I think out of the two, i'll say Rez. To me, the studio verison of Cowgirl is starting to sound a little tiny dated, but still rocks it when dropped in a club. Rez is just an awesome track to get people buzzing.

Like tons of others on this forum, i've seen it done live and to me, its always a higlight of the set.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

Boofty Woofty

:)

I dont like the recorded version of Rez - its a bit too 'la de da' at the beginning and its a bit too long.

But theres no boubt that the live version just rocks!

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

I like Rez. the simplicity. memories of watching the video on MTV chillout zone and my mates going "wtf is this?" just lots of circles on a screen... :) its very flexible which is why its still dropped in clubs today, often as the "accapella" over some chunky beats.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

Hearing a live version of rez on tv (from 1999 Tilburg gig) was one of those moment that made me go "wft this is the most amazing thing i have ever heard" but the original recorded rez, as some have said already, isn't really my cup of tea and i prefer the original cowgirl over that. Live I just like Rez/Cowgirl mixed up :)

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

That's exactly how I'd put it! Well said.

Off to listen to Cowgirl, which I haven't done in a very long while.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

although i think 'cowgirl' is one of the best examples of karl's songwriting; 'rez' does a simple thing brilliantly; then keeps on doing it - i've too many happy memories of it (including 'singing' it after one glastonbury set :o) to ever consider it 2nd-best :)

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

For me it has to be Cowgirl, but largely because that is what started all this madness! First UW choon I heard. :)

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

ditto.

that being said, i love 'em both equally. :)

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

No Comparison
Rez it is
a phenomenal video + great live track

don't have a cow girl!:D

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

what about the 8:55 version of cowgirl? much much better, and no stupid intro.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

For me it's "Cowgirl" easily. "Rez" is fun; the main keyboard line has kind of a carefree, happy sound and I don't mind listening to it for ten minutes. But it has no dramatic focus. There's no real build-up or development as it goes on. "Cowgirl," on the other hand, builds up to the best crescendo ever (when the drums stop and that guitar-synth outro starts blaring). And you gotta love the macho robot voice.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

Message to all before voting: Go listen to Rez from Reading 96 gig aka the one on Bootleg Babies. Its possibly the best ever live Underworld moment.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

When I first saw UW it was at the Big Day Out in Sydney. I didn't really know much about them (except Lager Lager Lager.. of course). They played a live version which sounds like a combination of both - the pump of Rez with the lyrics of Cowgirl. It was burned in my memory of that night and I knew I had to have it. Unfortunately, neither track from CD quite manages to reproduce the awesomeness of the live combination.

Of course, it helps a little bit to have 5000 people there dancing to it :)

- Matthew

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

If Rez had been in the Dubno album vote then I'd have kicked it out before Cowgirl without flinching, because if you listen to it as an album I don't think Rez would fit in so well.

Since this is a straight head to head it's not so easy. How can you dump one of them when they clearly belong together? I love the Rez/Cowgirl/Rez live hybrid; this is going to sound poncy but it has a great change of mood and when Rez comes back in all that Cowgirly tension is resolved. Bloody glorious.

I think I have to vote Cowgirl off though. I love Rez just that little bit more.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

"Rez" wins in my book. This was one of the first "techno" songs that truly impressed me. Hearing a friend spin it on an early Sunday AM at his beach house as the sun came up on the Atlantic in '94 was a big moment for me. Truly beautiful & mesmerizing track. I'll agree that the live version kicks much ass.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

The intro of Rez still gives me the goosebumps. One of the most intense musical experiences. At around 4 min., however, I'm always missing the "everything, everything" lyrics.

Cowgirl slightly wins for its energy, danceability and amazing guitar.

As was said here before, the tracks simply belong together. Rez/Cowgirl live is my favourite (Underworld) tune by far.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

rez is a club record and cowgirl is an underworld song.loads of underworld stuff is like that no?

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

I like Rez more personally

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

I think rez and cowgirl go best together. rez is a good intro to the slamming awesomeness (wow I sound silly) of cowgirl; however, If I had to pick a fav, it would be cowgirl, because i LOVE to sing along with it... and I plan on covering it soon :P

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

Oh yes you are right.
I can add
1996-07-06 - werchter festival belgium
Thats beautiful version of Rez/Cowgirl.
That Rez tune at the end is phenomenal.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

I'm with both Stimpee and Undarrenworld. That live version is the absolute best for me. Rez ALWAYS gets me going. Another thing that makes me like Rez more is that I have friends who despise techno (heresy) and after a couple listens they too enjoy Rez. I'm still trying to concince them of electronic music's greatness. Oh well, I once disliked it too... then everything changed.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

Interestingly enough, it was "Cowgirl" that got me into techno in general and Underworld in particular. It was the first song I heard by them. At the time, it sounded so weird and unlike anything else to me that I said, "By Jove, old boy, these chaps are off their rockers!" and forgot about it. But over the next year, it kept nagging me at the back of my mind until I gave up and bought all of their albums. A cautionary tale for you.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

First UW song I heard, I believe, is Cowgirl. I may've heard a bit of Born Slippy .NUXX since that was a huge song, but I live in the U.S., and a song could be popular in every other country but here, and we'd never know about it. So yeah, I voted for Cowgirl. But really, they're more like two halves of the same song. They work so well together, especially live. Can't have one without the other imo.

Re: Cowgirl...the debate...versus Rez
 

The studio versions have totally different moods, in my opinion. "Rez" is sort of happy and celebratory. "Cowgirl" is tense and even kind of menacing. In the live version they make it sound more like "Rez" though.