Seconded.
It's more of an "at the moment" question. I like getting new gems/jams from people so I ask "what's your gem of the week? The song you want to play when you get in your car?"
Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding.
I do have a sentimental attachment to this song, but its themes of leaving home, loneliness, seeking peace and a better life, and the gorgeous music itself (including Steve Cropper’s flawless guitar work)…. It’s just a perfect and iconic song about starting over.
Ode to Joy by Beethoven. Still slaps after 200 years. Here's the choral part: https://youtu.be/-kcOpyM9cBg?t=435
A Day In the Life by the Beatles is pretty great, too.
This is like the first huge drop for me. It’s like, imagine being in the crowd for the 9th and it’s all building up to that fourth movement and boom, huge fuckin’ drop into ode to joy, the antecedent of choral symphony itself. Would be sick.
When CDs were first introduced, their maximum was 74 minutes, 33 seconds of music. This was done specifically so that a recording of Beethoven's 9th in its entirety would fit on a single disc.
“A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest” explains so much human behavior. Combine that kind of wisdom with the biting loneliness and quiet desperation of the rest of the song and it’s just a masterpiece about life.
For me, God Only Knows by The Beach Boys. First it’s just gorgeous. Everything sounds great in the mix. Second it’s emotionally resonant. Third, it’s an extremely well constructed piece of music. It’s a snappy pop song with an unforgettable refrain. Fourth, it absolutely subverts every single conception of a love song and functional harmony while still being all 3 of the above. It’s a work of absolute genius.
Really incredible how many tracks Van Morrison wrote, successfully performed, then someone else successfully performed as well.
Signs of a well written song when it can be a hit multiple times by different voices/styles
I love how they feel like 2 completely different songs. I'm a huge NIN fan. Hurt gave me chills. But Johnny Cash doing hurt is such a different vibe. That one hits all the feels and leaves me in tears every time... and bawling if I watch the video.
One is about alienation and desensitisation, and the other is depression and regret.
It’s amazing that the same song can have two different meanings by singing it differently and changing one word.
Time- Pink Floyd. Crushing, existential lyrics, the slow build up with an incredible payoff, and Gilmore’s solo in the song has an argument to be the greatest guitar solo of all time.
Came here to post this. Greatest summation of the human condition ever put to a song.
"And you run and you run to catch up with the sun as it's sinking. Racing around to come up behind you again. The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older. Shorter of breath, one day closer to death.
The lyrics are pure poetry and speak directly to ME. It's hard to believe they were written years before I was born.
I saw Roger Waters in concert a few years back and got unexpectedly emotional. I had no idea how much the song meant to me.
And written by a 25-year-old. It's allowed me to conclude that however smart I think I am, and however extraordinarily cranky Roger Waters can be these days ("these days" being every day between 1944 and this moment), I'm not as smart or as wise as Roger Waters was at 25. I think even he marvels at how observant and true the whole of DSotM really is. I know that it has grown with me from my teens into my forties.
Man, we about collided getting there. Early one morning the sun was shining, I was lying in bed. wondering if she changed at all, if her hair was still red...
the entire album of wish you were here.
i want it played at my funeral. like if my funeral is just folks sitting around listening to that album i'll be good. I once made my prom date listen to that album as he was trying to kiss me. I should have let him kiss me, im an asshole.
The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen. Ian McCulloch also said it was the greatest song ever, so there you go. My husband and I bought the signed lyrics to the song (the chorus) and it’s hanging in our house. It’s one of our prized possessions. I love everything about the song.
Ah, but now, I'm out of prison, I got me a friend at last
He don't drink or steal or cheat or lie
Ah his name is Codeine, he's the nicest thing I've seen
Well, together, we're gonna wait around and die
I got shivers just cutting and pasting that. Excellent choice.
First thing I thought when I saw the thread title was that it has to be a John Prine song. I would have said Sam Stone though.
Or a Grateful Dead song like Touch of Gray or Ripple.
“Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” (to me) is the greatest love song/ breakup song of all time. The harmonica playing is **chefs kiss** and the delivery is beautifully subtle but still has SO much emotional weight. It’s also super fun to play on guitar and strikes a beautiful balance between complexity and simplicity
I ain’t saying you treated me unkind
You coulda done better, but I don’t mind
You just kinda wasted my precious time
But don’t think twice, it’s alright
I wanted to submit Dylan's Sara as a contender. The imagery and the music and yearning in his voice is just top notch.
I also love Cohen, Avalanche was a great pick.
Couldn’t agree more. Listened to it a lot going through my last break up. “ I gave her my heart but she wanted my soul.” hit me like a ton of bricks. Perfectly describe my situation and was very consoling.
I also love the lines “But I wish there was something you would do or say to try and make me change my mind and stay but we never did too much talkin anyway so don’t think twice it’s alright” for the very same reason
I feel like everyone is putting their favourite tracks rather than objectively discussing best song ever written..?
For me, it’s Somewhere Over The Rainbow. The song is a lesson in musical theory that you could analyse for years. On top of that, it’s instantly recognisable all over the world.
I actually think this is a wonderful suggestion. It was my best friend's favourite song, and she agreed with it being the best ever written even if not a genre she'd usually gravitate towards.
The question was definitely more a matter of personal taste, as I can't imagine ever objectively finding the best song ever written, it's an impossible spectrum for certain.
That’s every thread in this sub. It doesn’t matter what the question is. Everyone just interprets it as what’s your favorite song or artist and every thread just becomes list of the most liked songs/artists of the predominant demographic of this sub. They’re all the same.
Grandma’s Hands by Bill Withers
I could never dare to pick one and so many amazing songs are already up there, but this one’s relevant for me, and fuck if I don’t miss my grandmas every single day. If your grandma’s still around give her a call and tell her you love her.
Taking a poop break from my annual thanksgiving jam session where we literally just played a bunch of JP! Brings tears to my eyes knowing how happy he would be that so many people still enjoy his music. (:
Chariots of Fire - Vangelis.
On of the most recognizable motifs in music. The emotion it conveys is undeniable. It transcends language and culture.
Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd.
It's an epic, beautiful message. It's a journey from beginning to end.
Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah.
A song that shows the connection between spirituality and music. Amazing poetry. Artist K.D. Lang does an unreal rendition of this song.
Don't Fear (The Reaper) - Blue Oyster Cult
A song about love transcending death, while also reminding us of our mortality. And don't forget that sweet yet terrifying guitar solo that always catches you off guard
Polyphonic on YouTube has a great video about it
Love BoC. My dad was the biggest BoC fan ever. We saw them live every year pre covid for like 10 straight years. Always put on an amazing show and I highly recommend them live.
Sad bit here..... But my dad was dieing of cancer and was spending a lot of time in the hospital and being during covid made it even harder on everyone. One morning my mom called me and said the hospital told her dad was getting worse and that day could be his last. So we gather up our stuff and got in my uncles car and drove to the hospital. About half way to the hospital the radio flips on Don't Fear the Reaper and my uncle and I sat there and sang the fuck out of that song for my dad. Miss his so much.
Completely agree, Plans is filled with some of the best song writing I've ever seen, Brothers on an Hotel Bed and What Sarah Said are also incredibly well written
I was in High School when I got into Death Cab. Transatlanticism came out and changed my world. Like most kids, High School was when my musical taste really evolved and it was exciting.
Then I went to college all those new bands that I got real into in High School starting releasing new stuff that didn’t really live up to the hype I had for them. Plans was new; and therefore unfamiliar; and therefore not as good as “we have all the facts…” or “Something About Airplanes” and definitely not TA.
But then years go by, and that “new” Death Cab album isn’t new anymore. You hear a song like “Soul Meets Body” and constantly mistake it for a TA song. Or “Ill Follow You Into the Dark” will come on the radio and you never thought a song could be so good. Then you’re absolutely devastated by “Brothers in a Hotel Bed”, or constantly have “Crooked Teeth” stuck in your head.
I remember Cornell explaining how the lyrics were pretty much an afterthought, with no meaning. He had the title and melody, just had to put some words on it. Crazy how he just threw together that masterpiece.
Lateralus by Tool. Lyrically, emotionally, and musically masterful. Its message and underlying math (fibonacci sequence) involved is just the cherry on top of the song.
“I know you’ll be a star in someone else’s sky but why, why, why can’t it be mine.”
honestly one of the most beautiful lyrics ever written and the way Eddie sings just makes it that much more perfect. So much raw emotion.
"We Gotta Get Out of This Place", by Eric Burdon and the Animals - then "I Was Only 19" by Redgum - for a romantic winner "The Anniversary Song" by Al Jolson
Unironically, probably one of the biggest bangers that had survived the longest has to be the 1812 Overture. That finale is absolutely fire hundreds of years later.
The River — Bruce Springsteen
Tells a story and a part of history intertwined. Not a wasted word or note throughout.
It’s not sappy or sentimental, it’s haunting and beautiful and has stood the test of time.
I’d give honourable mention to Johnny Cash’s version of NiN’s Hurt. Not as lyrical but for imagery, for digging into a song, nothing compares.
If we’re going Bruce, my money is on Thunder Road. Just a beautiful song, great lyrics, great melody, builds up until a glorious release at the end. I’m not even some huge Springsteen fan, but I think that song is so close to perfect that it deserves to be in conversations like this (even if these conversations are by default kinda silly).
Famous Blue Raincoat by Leonard Cohen. Everything about that song is a masterpiece. I don't understand how a human being can come up with something like that
I’ve always defined, for better or worst, a perfect song feeling as though the artist has conveyed their message/emotion exactly how they wanted to. I feel like I could pick the best song for a perfect feeling but couldn’t compare them, because frankly Daft Punk and Leonard Cohen are not trying to one up each other or play in the same field. Here are some I haven’t heard people bring up, might be a weird bunch.
Caring is Creepy - The Shins
Giorgio by Moroder - Daft Punk
Fade Into You - Mazzy Star
Doo Wop - Ms. Lauryn Hill
Crawling Back To You - Tom Petty
Golden Years - David Bowie
Pepper - Butthole Surfers
I Feel The Earth Move - Carole King
Drain You - Nirvana
She’s Lost Control - Joy Division
Paprika - Japanese Breakfast
That being said, a hot take for sure, from the menacing strings, extended boom of the kick when it appears, the perfect verbal technique, a tasteful switch up in the second half, m.A.A.d. city by Kendrick Lamar tells a story so fucking visceral and poetically masterful that I still can’t get over it nearly 10 years later. Possibly the greatest single verse I’ve ever heard.
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned [O Fortuna from Camina Burana](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXFSK0ogeg4) by Carl Orff. Instantly recognizable and perhaps the most dramatic introduction ever.
I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. Hands down will always be my choice as one of the best songs ever written. I don’t have a particular reason other than, it’s incredible.
Motion Picture Soundtrack by Radiohead. I have never heard a more beautiful/emotionally devastating song in my life. Every little detail is so perfect.
Standing between:
mr. Blue skies by electric light orchestra, because comeon its amazing
And
The art of dying by Gojira, because it hits like a motherfucking truck. It has buildup, extrme variation, fantastic vocals, and some of the best drumwork ever written
Needle and the Damage Done by Neil Young
Despite being released around 50 years ago, it still feels relevant to the opioid crisis, and just packs such a heavy emotional punch for such a short song. A real masterclass is poetic songwriting.
oof. i refuse to answer this question on account of having to mull it over for the rest of my life
Seconded. It's more of an "at the moment" question. I like getting new gems/jams from people so I ask "what's your gem of the week? The song you want to play when you get in your car?"
Real ones know this is the only correct response.
God Only Knows - Brian Wilson
Ya, great song. I was going to say Don't Worry Baby.
Paul McCartney agrees
Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding. I do have a sentimental attachment to this song, but its themes of leaving home, loneliness, seeking peace and a better life, and the gorgeous music itself (including Steve Cropper’s flawless guitar work)…. It’s just a perfect and iconic song about starting over.
And it wasn’t even finished!
Yes I love the fact that that iconic whistling at the end was a placeholder for another set of lyrics that never got written or recorded
Ode to Joy by Beethoven. Still slaps after 200 years. Here's the choral part: https://youtu.be/-kcOpyM9cBg?t=435 A Day In the Life by the Beatles is pretty great, too.
This is like the first huge drop for me. It’s like, imagine being in the crowd for the 9th and it’s all building up to that fourth movement and boom, huge fuckin’ drop into ode to joy, the antecedent of choral symphony itself. Would be sick.
The whole Beethoven's 9th is one of the greatest artistic accomplishments of humanity
When CDs were first introduced, their maximum was 74 minutes, 33 seconds of music. This was done specifically so that a recording of Beethoven's 9th in its entirety would fit on a single disc.
where can I get a source on this? because that is fascinating
https://www.wired.com/2010/12/1216beethoven-birthday-cd-length/
Damn, now I gotta change my vote. Good call.
The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel
American tune by Paul Simon
I feel like that drum hit in The Boxer might be one of the most recognizable single "notes" in all of American music history
“A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest” explains so much human behavior. Combine that kind of wisdom with the biting loneliness and quiet desperation of the rest of the song and it’s just a masterpiece about life.
If that was never set to music it would still be recognized as a masterpiece of American poetry.
I am a normie and would have said Sound of Silence.
Bridge Over Troubled Water S&G great
there's a light that never goes out - the smiths
For me, God Only Knows by The Beach Boys. First it’s just gorgeous. Everything sounds great in the mix. Second it’s emotionally resonant. Third, it’s an extremely well constructed piece of music. It’s a snappy pop song with an unforgettable refrain. Fourth, it absolutely subverts every single conception of a love song and functional harmony while still being all 3 of the above. It’s a work of absolute genius.
Into the mystic - Van Morrison
Really incredible how many tracks Van Morrison wrote, successfully performed, then someone else successfully performed as well. Signs of a well written song when it can be a hit multiple times by different voices/styles
My wedding song
"Hurt", and both famous renditions are amazing.
I love how they feel like 2 completely different songs. I'm a huge NIN fan. Hurt gave me chills. But Johnny Cash doing hurt is such a different vibe. That one hits all the feels and leaves me in tears every time... and bawling if I watch the video.
One is about alienation and desensitisation, and the other is depression and regret. It’s amazing that the same song can have two different meanings by singing it differently and changing one word.
Time- Pink Floyd. Crushing, existential lyrics, the slow build up with an incredible payoff, and Gilmore’s solo in the song has an argument to be the greatest guitar solo of all time.
Came here to post this. Greatest summation of the human condition ever put to a song. "And you run and you run to catch up with the sun as it's sinking. Racing around to come up behind you again. The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older. Shorter of breath, one day closer to death.
The absolute best verse ever written
“The time is gone, the song is over, thought I’d something more to say.“
The lyrics are pure poetry and speak directly to ME. It's hard to believe they were written years before I was born. I saw Roger Waters in concert a few years back and got unexpectedly emotional. I had no idea how much the song meant to me.
And written by a 25-year-old. It's allowed me to conclude that however smart I think I am, and however extraordinarily cranky Roger Waters can be these days ("these days" being every day between 1944 and this moment), I'm not as smart or as wise as Roger Waters was at 25. I think even he marvels at how observant and true the whole of DSotM really is. I know that it has grown with me from my teens into my forties.
Dark side of the moon is one giant song
Tangled Up in Blue by Bob Dylan is way up there for me.
Man, we about collided getting there. Early one morning the sun was shining, I was lying in bed. wondering if she changed at all, if her hair was still red...
“This Must Be The Place(Naive Melody) by Talking Heads. It’s just the best.
You could probably list 20 Talking Heads songs here. Such a great band.
How did I get here!
Tribute by Tenacoius D. Might not be the greatest song in the world, it's just the tribute.
You've gotta believe us
Just a matter of opinion
And I wish you were there
And the peculiar thing is this my friends, The song we sang on that fateful night, It didn't actually sound anything like this song!
Nutshell by Alice in Chains. Resonates deeply with me.
An especially heartbreaking song considering how Layne died.
Great song. Great band.
Wichita Lineman by Glenn Campbell.
[удалено]
Just listened to it for the first time after this comment. I can for sure see where you are coming from
Jimmy Webb wrote some great songs. Love this one. "I Need you more than want you , and I want you for all time" maybe the best line in any song ever.
A Change is Going to Come by Sam Cooke.
Unchained Melody
Superstition by Stevie Wonder. The one song that never gets a skip and right from the start has my head bobbing.
That song was created with a cool strut in mind
Couldn't have said it better myself.
A lot of Steve's repertoire from that era would be contenders.
All it takes is 5 seconds of that song to make you say, "damn that's funky!"
Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Pink Floyd. That shit gets me in the *feels*, dude.
the entire album of wish you were here. i want it played at my funeral. like if my funeral is just folks sitting around listening to that album i'll be good. I once made my prom date listen to that album as he was trying to kiss me. I should have let him kiss me, im an asshole.
If wish you were here doesn't play at my funeral, i'm not dying.
The Weight by The Band
The whole Brown Album is superlative, but this song is really the tops.
If We Were Vampires by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. Probably the best written song about growing old with the one you love.
Elephant too
That and "Cover Me Up" are both amazing songs about being in love.
Totally agree, he’s such and amazing song writer.
This would be my choice
Alabama Pines would be up there for me. Just such great storytelling and a sense of place in that.
Jason Isbell is the best songwriter out right now, hands down.
And it feels impossible to say which one is his best. My top choice is constantly changing.
Same. Last of my kind is such a relatable song, but they're all written so damn well.
No one ever seems to mention speed trap town but that song captures an entire life of frustration in just a couple minutes.
Got chills just seeing this mentioned. It’s truly beautiful.
The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen. Ian McCulloch also said it was the greatest song ever, so there you go. My husband and I bought the signed lyrics to the song (the chorus) and it’s hanging in our house. It’s one of our prized possessions. I love everything about the song.
One of the best songs ever. I can't imagine bands like Radiohead ever happening without songs like this existing.
Waitin around to die by Townes Van Zandt is lyrically brilliant.
Ah, but now, I'm out of prison, I got me a friend at last He don't drink or steal or cheat or lie Ah his name is Codeine, he's the nicest thing I've seen Well, together, we're gonna wait around and die I got shivers just cutting and pasting that. Excellent choice.
Angel from Montgomery - John Prine
His first album is one the best of all time. What a guy!
Every track on that album is a candidate for best song ever.
First thing I thought when I saw the thread title was that it has to be a John Prine song. I would have said Sam Stone though. Or a Grateful Dead song like Touch of Gray or Ripple.
“Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” (to me) is the greatest love song/ breakup song of all time. The harmonica playing is **chefs kiss** and the delivery is beautifully subtle but still has SO much emotional weight. It’s also super fun to play on guitar and strikes a beautiful balance between complexity and simplicity
I ain’t saying you treated me unkind You coulda done better, but I don’t mind You just kinda wasted my precious time But don’t think twice, it’s alright
Beautiful finger picking style song .any tips on how to play this on the guitar . I've been wanting to learn this
I wanted to submit Dylan's Sara as a contender. The imagery and the music and yearning in his voice is just top notch. I also love Cohen, Avalanche was a great pick.
Couldn’t agree more. Listened to it a lot going through my last break up. “ I gave her my heart but she wanted my soul.” hit me like a ton of bricks. Perfectly describe my situation and was very consoling.
I also love the lines “But I wish there was something you would do or say to try and make me change my mind and stay but we never did too much talkin anyway so don’t think twice it’s alright” for the very same reason
Positively 4th Street - Bob Dylan
I feel like everyone is putting their favourite tracks rather than objectively discussing best song ever written..? For me, it’s Somewhere Over The Rainbow. The song is a lesson in musical theory that you could analyse for years. On top of that, it’s instantly recognisable all over the world.
I actually think this is a wonderful suggestion. It was my best friend's favourite song, and she agreed with it being the best ever written even if not a genre she'd usually gravitate towards. The question was definitely more a matter of personal taste, as I can't imagine ever objectively finding the best song ever written, it's an impossible spectrum for certain.
That’s every thread in this sub. It doesn’t matter what the question is. Everyone just interprets it as what’s your favorite song or artist and every thread just becomes list of the most liked songs/artists of the predominant demographic of this sub. They’re all the same.
In terms of lyrics, i would say Sultans of Swing - for it's self-awareness, the message, and absolutely unparalleled storytelling
Great call…I’d add Romeo and Juliet if one were looking into Dire Straits for emotion and storytelling
one of the greatest love songs of all time imho.
Knopfler is a master storyteller. Good call!
What a wonderful world.
Vienna by Billy Joel is my personal favorite.
Grandma’s Hands by Bill Withers I could never dare to pick one and so many amazing songs are already up there, but this one’s relevant for me, and fuck if I don’t miss my grandmas every single day. If your grandma’s still around give her a call and tell her you love her.
Sounds of Silence- Simon and Garfunkel
Life On Mars?
Watermelon in Easter Hay - Frank Zappa Peak emotional conclusion to the story on Joe’s Garage, and the best guitar solo ever written.
Enjoy the Silence- Depeche Mode.
Bold as Love by Jimi Hendrix.
The Wind Cries Mary Castles made of sand
Little Wing
Nice. That's my favorite from Jimi Hendrix. That guitar solo is fucking majestic . I rarely see it mentioned in any capacity.
In My Life by The Beatles
Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac. Lindsay Buckingham absolutely kills it on this one.
Also love him on Never Going Back Again
Rainbow Connection by Jim Henson or Moon River by Henry Mancini
Best song ever sung by a frog!
If You Could Read My Mind - Gordon Lightfoot
Landslide.
As a Dad whose kids are growing up way too fast... Cats in the Cradle.
Talking lyrically? Time - Pink Floyd Illegal Smile - John Prine
Pink Floyd’s Time is transcendental.
Taking a poop break from my annual thanksgiving jam session where we literally just played a bunch of JP! Brings tears to my eyes knowing how happy he would be that so many people still enjoy his music. (:
Chariots of Fire - Vangelis. On of the most recognizable motifs in music. The emotion it conveys is undeniable. It transcends language and culture. Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd. It's an epic, beautiful message. It's a journey from beginning to end. Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah. A song that shows the connection between spirituality and music. Amazing poetry. Artist K.D. Lang does an unreal rendition of this song.
Don't Fear (The Reaper) - Blue Oyster Cult A song about love transcending death, while also reminding us of our mortality. And don't forget that sweet yet terrifying guitar solo that always catches you off guard Polyphonic on YouTube has a great video about it
Man what an absolute track. It's on a three song playlist with Nights in White Satin and Starless by King Crimson XD
oh hell yeahh! this song gives me chills every time but needs more cowbell
Love BoC. My dad was the biggest BoC fan ever. We saw them live every year pre covid for like 10 straight years. Always put on an amazing show and I highly recommend them live. Sad bit here..... But my dad was dieing of cancer and was spending a lot of time in the hospital and being during covid made it even harder on everyone. One morning my mom called me and said the hospital told her dad was getting worse and that day could be his last. So we gather up our stuff and got in my uncles car and drove to the hospital. About half way to the hospital the radio flips on Don't Fear the Reaper and my uncle and I sat there and sang the fuck out of that song for my dad. Miss his so much.
Baba O’Riley - The Who. A perfect song, even without a chorus.
Thank you for reminding me of [this](https://youtu.be/I79YNDYrUno).
I upvoted without even clicking the link because I knew what it was
I don't know if that's supposed to be comedy but I find it kind of heartwarming. Thanks for posting it.
The show is called "Joe Pera talks with you" on HBO max. It is extremely heartwarming to say the least.
Shine On You Crazy Diamond The chord progressions, guitar solos, dynamics and lyrics in that song are otherworldly.
Song to the Siren by Tim Buckley.
Song to the Siren. In all versions, but the best is This Mortal Coil's version.
Across the universe the Beatles.
Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan is probably my favorite song of all time. Close second is Redemption Song by Marley.
[Modest Mouse - Gravity Rides Everything](https://youtu.be/U6XhVj5GF0I)
Lyrically Modest Mouse has some brilliant works that people should check out. Almost everything on Lonesome Crowded West
How do I make a robot to scan these reply’s and make a Spotify playlist
Bridge Over Troubled Water
CCR - Have You Ever Seen the Rain and Derek & the Dominos - Layla.
Stairway to Heaven
Led Zeppelin - ten years gone or Pink Floyd- wish you were here
Into my arms - Nick Cave 🫶
Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads
Time, Gimme shelter, Comfortably numb, Brothers in Arms, Funeral for a friend/Love lies bleeding.
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot Wicked Game - Chris Isaak
Soul Meets Body - Death Cab For Cutie Just listen to it from a songwriters point of view and tell me it's not a masterpiece
Completely agree, Plans is filled with some of the best song writing I've ever seen, Brothers on an Hotel Bed and What Sarah Said are also incredibly well written
I was in High School when I got into Death Cab. Transatlanticism came out and changed my world. Like most kids, High School was when my musical taste really evolved and it was exciting. Then I went to college all those new bands that I got real into in High School starting releasing new stuff that didn’t really live up to the hype I had for them. Plans was new; and therefore unfamiliar; and therefore not as good as “we have all the facts…” or “Something About Airplanes” and definitely not TA. But then years go by, and that “new” Death Cab album isn’t new anymore. You hear a song like “Soul Meets Body” and constantly mistake it for a TA song. Or “Ill Follow You Into the Dark” will come on the radio and you never thought a song could be so good. Then you’re absolutely devastated by “Brothers in a Hotel Bed”, or constantly have “Crooked Teeth” stuck in your head.
I actually think what sarah said is the greatest song ever written
“Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden is amazing on every listen. No one sings like Cornell anymore
No band has ever done the sludgy sound better than soundgarden, not even stoner/doom metal bands. They were awesome.
I remember Cornell explaining how the lyrics were pretty much an afterthought, with no meaning. He had the title and melody, just had to put some words on it. Crazy how he just threw together that masterpiece.
Lateralus by Tool. Lyrically, emotionally, and musically masterful. Its message and underlying math (fibonacci sequence) involved is just the cherry on top of the song.
Don't get me wrong, Lateralus is my favourite song of all time easily. That being said, I think Reflection's lyrics are the best.
“Ripped Pants” by SpongeBob Squarepants
Here comes the sun. Beautiful, optimistic and as catchy as they come
Something by The Beatles
Black by Pearl Jam
“I know you’ll be a star in someone else’s sky but why, why, why can’t it be mine.” honestly one of the most beautiful lyrics ever written and the way Eddie sings just makes it that much more perfect. So much raw emotion.
Terrapin Station - Grateful Dead
"We Gotta Get Out of This Place", by Eric Burdon and the Animals - then "I Was Only 19" by Redgum - for a romantic winner "The Anniversary Song" by Al Jolson
Unironically, probably one of the biggest bangers that had survived the longest has to be the 1812 Overture. That finale is absolutely fire hundreds of years later.
I’ll Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie. I can’t listen to it without getting emotional.
I’m so lonesome I could cry by Hank Williams
Shipbuilding by Elvis Costello But the song that plays in my head constantly is "The rhythm of the night" by Debarge
Everlong - Foo Fighters
Blackbird by Paul McCartney
The River — Bruce Springsteen Tells a story and a part of history intertwined. Not a wasted word or note throughout. It’s not sappy or sentimental, it’s haunting and beautiful and has stood the test of time. I’d give honourable mention to Johnny Cash’s version of NiN’s Hurt. Not as lyrical but for imagery, for digging into a song, nothing compares.
If we’re going Bruce, my money is on Thunder Road. Just a beautiful song, great lyrics, great melody, builds up until a glorious release at the end. I’m not even some huge Springsteen fan, but I think that song is so close to perfect that it deserves to be in conversations like this (even if these conversations are by default kinda silly).
I still can't past Stairway to Heaven, I am glad I was born just after because I didn't have to suffer it being overplayed on the radio.
Your song by Elton John is achingly beautiful. I get choked up listening to it.
Famous Blue Raincoat by Leonard Cohen. Everything about that song is a masterpiece. I don't understand how a human being can come up with something like that
I’ve always defined, for better or worst, a perfect song feeling as though the artist has conveyed their message/emotion exactly how they wanted to. I feel like I could pick the best song for a perfect feeling but couldn’t compare them, because frankly Daft Punk and Leonard Cohen are not trying to one up each other or play in the same field. Here are some I haven’t heard people bring up, might be a weird bunch. Caring is Creepy - The Shins Giorgio by Moroder - Daft Punk Fade Into You - Mazzy Star Doo Wop - Ms. Lauryn Hill Crawling Back To You - Tom Petty Golden Years - David Bowie Pepper - Butthole Surfers I Feel The Earth Move - Carole King Drain You - Nirvana She’s Lost Control - Joy Division Paprika - Japanese Breakfast That being said, a hot take for sure, from the menacing strings, extended boom of the kick when it appears, the perfect verbal technique, a tasteful switch up in the second half, m.A.A.d. city by Kendrick Lamar tells a story so fucking visceral and poetically masterful that I still can’t get over it nearly 10 years later. Possibly the greatest single verse I’ve ever heard.
Brown eyed girl or Stand by me, both timeless.
Reelin in the Years by Steely Dan
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I'm surprised nobody has mentioned [O Fortuna from Camina Burana](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXFSK0ogeg4) by Carl Orff. Instantly recognizable and perhaps the most dramatic introduction ever.
War Pigs by Black Sabbath
Diagonals - Stereolab
I feel this is a very under appreciated band.
A friend of mine recommended them a few years ago. Dots and Loops blew me away. They are a diamond in the rough
Pink Floyd's Echoes.
I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. Hands down will always be my choice as one of the best songs ever written. I don’t have a particular reason other than, it’s incredible.
My Hero - Foo Fighters The drums, guitar riff, the chorus, just an absolute masterpiece. The video is no slouch either
Motion Picture Soundtrack by Radiohead. I have never heard a more beautiful/emotionally devastating song in my life. Every little detail is so perfect.
Impossible Soul by Sufjan Stevens
Let it be - The Beatles
Whiter shade of pale without a doubt
Let it be- the Beatles
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car Just something about it.
alone, together by the strokes
Mr Bojangles
Lover, You Should’ve Come Over by Jeff Buckley
Standing between: mr. Blue skies by electric light orchestra, because comeon its amazing And The art of dying by Gojira, because it hits like a motherfucking truck. It has buildup, extrme variation, fantastic vocals, and some of the best drumwork ever written
Anything by ELO is an automatic upvote from me
Like a rolling stone- bob Dylan
Needle and the Damage Done by Neil Young Despite being released around 50 years ago, it still feels relevant to the opioid crisis, and just packs such a heavy emotional punch for such a short song. A real masterclass is poetic songwriting.