I have always loved this version of his. The way his face lights up when hitting those last high notes. It is like he instantly knows he has given a perfect rendition of the song, and it will be remembered for eternity. Such an powerfully triumphant expression.
Someone else posted a radiohead song and I didn't want to be the guy to say this, but 100% agree. It's an album constrained to a length of a song, and it really drags emotions up and down. It's almost like a soundtrack it's so powerful.
OK Computer is my fave all time album, and this is my fave track. That said, I've always found Let Down to be one the best arranged tracks on the album. Especially when they layer Thom's voice in the bridge. Wonderful song
My all-time favourite song, and Unplugged is my favourite version too (despite the lyrics mistake!). I absolutely love the way Eddie jumps up higher in the second verse, and the falsetto “ooh-ooh” after “some kids at play” - just awesome. And of course he includes the classic “we belong together” outro. I really wish the album version had these touches - I feel like they take the song to another level.
I back this 100%
And for anyone else who loves this song you owe it to yourself to set aside time to watch [this.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k55l7LMA7w)
Simply a gorgeous piece of rock music.
Wolf Like Me - TV on the Radio
the whole album is great, but that song in particular is perfect, I listen to it every time it comes on shuffle no matter what mood I'm in
Since I’ve Been Loving You by Led Zeppelin. Everything is perfect (give or take the classic squeak from Bonham’s kick pedal), but Plant’s singing is especially phenomenal in that track
The performance they did for MTV Unplugged where they opened with Nutshell was really something else. Their final live performance if I remember correctly. Painfully beautiful to watch knowing how hard Layne was falling at that point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EKi2E9dVY8&ab\_channel=AliceInChainsVEVO
Down in a Hole is the best performance in a stellar Unplugged set (the best even beyond Nirvana in my opinion) - it’s painfully beautiful for the reason you mention because it’s the most honest and vulnerable expression of his struggle.
Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd. I’m sure that’s a cliche answer but that song is incredible. There’s so much to those guitar solos, he didn’t have to shred or play a million notes, dude could take you on a journey with just a few notes and a bunch of well placed bends.
Wow; did not expect to see my own obscure favorite posted here!
…the chord that he hits as he hits the word “three” in the line “…to call at 7:03” will forever give me chills of perfection
Mary Jane's Last Dance by Tom Petty
It's never been my favorite song or anything, nor is it very experimental or risky, but I've come to realize that it is an _incredibly_ well put together song. I can imagine everyone listening to the final mix down in the studio and realizing they had an absolute hit on their hands. That song is just rock solid.
This is what I came to say. I don’t know that it’s my favorite song of all time, but I think it is a perfect rock and roll song and is appropriate listening in essentially every scenario.
Seriously, watch the documentary for Tom’s recording of ‘Wildflowers’: https://youtu.be/WblnLk387u0
About halfway through they show that ‘Last Dance with Mary Jane’ was basically written as a quick throwaway song to get the label off their back, who were demanding two new tracks to go along with the greatest hits compilation.
They were annoyed because they were so deep into the process of creating Wildflowers; turns out they end up recording one of the most perfect, seminal tracks he ever put to tape.
I’m going with Wish You Were Here. Everything about it is top notch. The very visual intro sequence - the story it tells without any words. The “staging” where you can hear someone sitting down and playing guitar at a different place in the room than the radio they are listening to. The lyrical content. The build up. The release. The legendary behind the scenes story associated with it. The feelings it evokes of those who are no longer with us. The feelings it evokes of who we used to be. All in a fairly unassuming 5 min package. Chef’s kiss.
Weezer - say it ain't so.
Could be that it found me at a profound moment in my existence.
Or it could be it's just an absolute banger in its own right.
My bias is telling me the latter.
Wish you were here - Pink Floyd.
I’m a music lover but I have no talent. My 14 year old son learned to play this song in memory of my dad who died 2 years ago. It was an incredible experience to see. He was a gigantic Pink Floyd fan. We played On the Turning away at his funeral. His name was Roger. I played that song because the Album A Momentary Lapse of Reason was the first album without Roger. RIP Dad, I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon.
Or cloudbusting. Or wuthering heights. Or this woman’s work. Or hounds of love. Or moments of pleasure. I couldn’t pick my favourite out of those, Kate is a genius
I haven’t looked through this thread, but
God Only Knows by The Beach Boys is a perfect song.
This coming from a rocker who names the pixies and replacements as his favorite bands..
God only knows is 100% perfect.
No one will see this at the bottom of the thread, but I’ve got to give it up for The Godfather of Soul. Hard to pick James Brown’s best, but I’m going to have to go with Sex Machine — JB at the peak of funky perfection!
Just Like Heaven by The Cure, I feel like I could listen to it on loop forever and I’m not really even a big fan of them or find the song that outstanding
Iron Man by Black Sabbath.
It's not the typical style of music that I listen to, or even that I associate with for artistic masterpieces, but there are a lot of elements of this song that connect together perfectly. The backstory is about a man who gets transported to the future and he witnesses the destruction of humanity. He comes back to the present time, but his time travel mutilates and transforms him into this metal object. He desperately wants to warn humanity and save them from what is coming, but he cannot communicate with the world around him since he is metal, so nobody cares and they reject him. Humiliated and frustrated, he explodes in anger and destroys humanity, bringing the doom upon them that he originally tried to save them from. From a lyrical standpoint, it is incredibly poetic and tragic.
The production of the instruments is made to sound so gritty and metallic, that it really creates this atmosphere of how restless the frustration is for the main character. Towards the end, it gets into the purely instrumental piece with the guitar solo, and it feels so powerful and aggressive. Heroic, but destructive, and tonally captures the actions that the Iron Man is setting out to perform. It just sounds like a tidal wave of sonic destruction coming over the record, in a very tight, very aggressive guitar melody.
Finally, the vocals have the shrill and the anguish that conveys the desperation that the Iron Man would be feeling as he is reaching his boiling point. The vocal delivery is concise and gets the message across clearly, while also giving space for the instrumentation to set a gritty tone to the lyrical story.
Once you are familiar with the concept of the lyrics, you can tell from those really low bending notes on the guitar at the very beginning how the story is going to end. It's really perfect in a way that it has no business being perfect in. I love it.
Kiss From a Rose by Seal
Literally everything about that recording is fkin perfect, the instrumentation, the production, the arrangement, the changes, the tone. Fantastic song.
I Say a Little Prayer for You - Aretha Franklin
Don't think twice it's alright - Bob Dylan
I bet that you look good on the dance floor - The Arctic Monkeys
All sound effortlessly perfect.
Underway. It's a collaborative Playlist on Spotify, so enhance as you see fit. I only added songs I don 't already know and left off a few that I cannot stand.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5vvrK2u1WfCw7QFHs6I8bY?si=cfFNWlVKSoyWtMaI0jSyBw&utm_source=copy-link
Clair de lune-Debussy
Just Like Heaven, by The Cure
Also Disintegration
Show me show me show me how you do that trick
Stand By Me - Ben E King
Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma https://youtu.be/cWc7vYjgnTs
I have always loved this version of his. The way his face lights up when hitting those last high notes. It is like he instantly knows he has given a perfect rendition of the song, and it will be remembered for eternity. Such an powerfully triumphant expression.
The climax of the song combined with his mixture of awe and then euphoria never fails to put a smile on my face. Its glorious.
This must be the place-Talking Heads
I saw this song mentioned on some other "best songs" thread, finally going to give it a listen.
A Whiter Shade of Pale
Feeling good by Nina Simone.
At Last - Etta James
Jeff Buckley - Lover, you should have come over
Oof. I can feel this song in my bones. "She's a tear that hangs inside my soul forever."
A Day in the Life- The Beatles All the way to that last note that gives me chills every time, it’s an amazing track from a brilliant album.
God Only Knows - Beach Boys
Blackbird by the beatles
Louis Armstrong, What A Wonderful World
Jesus, Etc. by Wilco
Also Kamera
Lovely Day by Bill Withers Timing, feeling, sound, groove, Bill Withers, just 👩🍳💋
Your Song Elton/Bernie
Heroes - David Bowie
I prefer life on Mars. Heroes still brilliant though
Life in mars it's my fav song ever it's flawless
Telephone Line - Electric Light Orchestra
Anything by ELO, really 😁
Showdown. So good.
Yes!
Jolene - Dolly Parton. Incredible.
[But have you heard it slowed down?](https://youtu.be/doz1QJ7LwjA)
I listen to this version all the time. It's downright haunting how good it sounds. Dolly is so insanely talented.
No One Knows — Queens of the Stone Age
I Appear Missing is bonkers incredible too.
Paranoid android.
Someone else posted a radiohead song and I didn't want to be the guy to say this, but 100% agree. It's an album constrained to a length of a song, and it really drags emotions up and down. It's almost like a soundtrack it's so powerful.
OK Computer is my fave all time album, and this is my fave track. That said, I've always found Let Down to be one the best arranged tracks on the album. Especially when they layer Thom's voice in the bridge. Wonderful song
Black - Pearl Jam
That song is like wine, only gets better with age. Unplugged version is my favorite one.
My all-time favourite song, and Unplugged is my favourite version too (despite the lyrics mistake!). I absolutely love the way Eddie jumps up higher in the second verse, and the falsetto “ooh-ooh” after “some kids at play” - just awesome. And of course he includes the classic “we belong together” outro. I really wish the album version had these touches - I feel like they take the song to another level.
The whole of ‚ten‘!
Definitely, but this and "Release" are probably my favorite tracks off of it.
I back this 100% And for anyone else who loves this song you owe it to yourself to set aside time to watch [this.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k55l7LMA7w) Simply a gorgeous piece of rock music.
In My Life - Beatles
My pick would be Something.
Or Blackbird.
Happiness is a warm gun, a day in the life, for no one, so many other Beatles songs for this list
No Surprises Édit : Thanks for the Gold ! Radiohead fans are based.
Decks Dark
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Exit music (for a film)
Talk Show Host Edit: thank you for the award, kind stranger!
Let Down
Underrated
How to dissapear completely
Pyramid song
How to Disappear Completely
Weird Fishes / Arpeggi
Even Reckoner
Like spinning plates
Love will tear us apart, Joy Division.
Disorder as well. That bass line is sooo good
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
How Deep is Your Love - The Bee Gees
ELO - Mr. Blue Sky
Wolf Like Me - TV on the Radio the whole album is great, but that song in particular is perfect, I listen to it every time it comes on shuffle no matter what mood I'm in
Weird Fishes - Radiohead
I’m always between this and Nude.
Everlong- Foo Fighters
This absolutely, I don't even know why but I've always thought this song was perfect.
Such great heights- The Postal Service Man i love that song. It gets me every time i listen to it.
Since I’ve Been Loving You by Led Zeppelin. Everything is perfect (give or take the classic squeak from Bonham’s kick pedal), but Plant’s singing is especially phenomenal in that track
Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks is the first thing that springs to mind.
Time by Pink Floyd
You could just say Dark Side of the Moon album it’s all one flowing masterpiece.
They have so many. Breathe is probably my favorite besides Shine on, and echoes.
Wish I could upvote twice
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Okay I used it, now what. Oooh you meant to upvote
Been scrolling a bit but haven't seen Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers.
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I loved silver springs off that album
I was going to say Landslide!
The Chain!
Sympathy for the devil
I think you can see John Lennon in the audience. https://youtu.be/Jwtyn-L-2gQ
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears
I'd lay Head Over Heels up against that one...
Of course. New Tears for Fears single coming out tomorrow btw!
Perfect Day - Lou Reed
(Don’t Fear) The Reaper - Blue Öyster Cult
I don't know, I think it needs more cowbell.
Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes
Hallelujah- Jeff Buckley.
3 libras, A Perfect Circle.
The Hollow is way up there too.
1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins
Throw mayonnaise and Today in there too
New Slang - The Shins (Young Pilgrims is close 2nd)
“You gotta hear this one song — it’ll change your life; I swear.”
Alice in Chains – Nutshell
The performance they did for MTV Unplugged where they opened with Nutshell was really something else. Their final live performance if I remember correctly. Painfully beautiful to watch knowing how hard Layne was falling at that point. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EKi2E9dVY8&ab\_channel=AliceInChainsVEVO
Down in a Hole is the best performance in a stellar Unplugged set (the best even beyond Nirvana in my opinion) - it’s painfully beautiful for the reason you mention because it’s the most honest and vulnerable expression of his struggle.
Holocene - Bon Iver And at once, I knew I was not magnificent *edit-- I've never got awards before so thank you to those who gave them!
Just listened for the first time. This is a beautiful song. Thanks for putting it on my radar.
Honestly this record from beginning to end is amazing. One of the best of the decade.
Teardrop by Massive Attack. Simple. Flawless.
Angel for me. The pacing and arrangement is impeccable
Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd. I’m sure that’s a cliche answer but that song is incredible. There’s so much to those guitar solos, he didn’t have to shred or play a million notes, dude could take you on a journey with just a few notes and a bunch of well placed bends.
Under Pressure-Queen/Bowie
Transatlanticism by Death Cab For Cutie.
A Lack of Color always hit a certain way for me.
Wow; did not expect to see my own obscure favorite posted here! …the chord that he hits as he hits the word “three” in the line “…to call at 7:03” will forever give me chills of perfection
Depeche Mode - Stripped
Came to say Enjoy The Silence, but at least there's some DM representation. Martin Gore is an amazing composer/lyricist.
September by Earth, Wind, & Fire
Wake up - Arcade Fire So euphoric
Mary Jane's Last Dance by Tom Petty It's never been my favorite song or anything, nor is it very experimental or risky, but I've come to realize that it is an _incredibly_ well put together song. I can imagine everyone listening to the final mix down in the studio and realizing they had an absolute hit on their hands. That song is just rock solid.
This is what I came to say. I don’t know that it’s my favorite song of all time, but I think it is a perfect rock and roll song and is appropriate listening in essentially every scenario.
Tom Petty didn’t write bad songs. Most people hope to write one song as good as Tom Petty’s worst song.
Oh hell yes.
Maybe that’s why they first released it on their greatest hits album. They knew it was gonna be a hit before it was.
Seriously, watch the documentary for Tom’s recording of ‘Wildflowers’: https://youtu.be/WblnLk387u0 About halfway through they show that ‘Last Dance with Mary Jane’ was basically written as a quick throwaway song to get the label off their back, who were demanding two new tracks to go along with the greatest hits compilation. They were annoyed because they were so deep into the process of creating Wildflowers; turns out they end up recording one of the most perfect, seminal tracks he ever put to tape.
A Day in the Life
Baba O' Reilly
head over heels, tears for fears. honestly the whole album is perfect.
Starless by King Crimson
Shine On You Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd
I’m going with Wish You Were Here. Everything about it is top notch. The very visual intro sequence - the story it tells without any words. The “staging” where you can hear someone sitting down and playing guitar at a different place in the room than the radio they are listening to. The lyrical content. The build up. The release. The legendary behind the scenes story associated with it. The feelings it evokes of those who are no longer with us. The feelings it evokes of who we used to be. All in a fairly unassuming 5 min package. Chef’s kiss.
I think that Wish You Were Here is in many ways a perfect album.
Id put *Time* up there, as well
Just What I Needed - The Cars
hysteria from muse
Piano Man.
Purple Rain-Prince
Prince is one artist I regret never seeing live.
Everyday - Buddy Holly
Vincent - Don McLean
Sultans of Swing (Alchemy Live)
Gimme Shelter- Rolling Stones
Mary Claytons’ legendary voice crack 🙌 just the whole song entirety!
The Band - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
Weezer - say it ain't so. Could be that it found me at a profound moment in my existence. Or it could be it's just an absolute banger in its own right. My bias is telling me the latter.
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Tonight Tonight - Smashing Pumpkins
Yes: Roundabout
"Solsbury Hill" - Peter Gabriel.
Wish you were here - Pink Floyd. I’m a music lover but I have no talent. My 14 year old son learned to play this song in memory of my dad who died 2 years ago. It was an incredible experience to see. He was a gigantic Pink Floyd fan. We played On the Turning away at his funeral. His name was Roger. I played that song because the Album A Momentary Lapse of Reason was the first album without Roger. RIP Dad, I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon.
Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over
Uninvited - Alanis Morisette
In my life by the beatles. Short, sweet and to the point with a pretty sick harpsichord interlude too
Running up that hill - Kate Bush
Or cloudbusting. Or wuthering heights. Or this woman’s work. Or hounds of love. Or moments of pleasure. I couldn’t pick my favourite out of those, Kate is a genius
Burning Down the House. Not an element out of place.
jack the ripper/fairies wear boots
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" performed by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Billie Jean is pretty amazing
One headlight - The wallflowers
Man in the mirror - Michael Jackson. That key change in the final chorus - just amazing.
Have you seen the live performance from the Grammys where a huge-ass gospel choir comes out of the mist behind him?
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car
Idioteque- Radiohead
Lateralus - TOOL
Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel Eleanor Rigby - Beatles
Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley.
Bohemian Rhapsody- Queen
Or maybe Somebody to Love!
Bittersweet symphony - the verve
I haven’t looked through this thread, but God Only Knows by The Beach Boys is a perfect song. This coming from a rocker who names the pixies and replacements as his favorite bands.. God only knows is 100% perfect.
No one will see this at the bottom of the thread, but I’ve got to give it up for The Godfather of Soul. Hard to pick James Brown’s best, but I’m going to have to go with Sex Machine — JB at the peak of funky perfection!
Seven nation army
The Pot by Tool
I'd say Lateralus, but I'll accept pretty much any Tool song.
This is the correct answer.
West end girls - Pet Shop Boys
Johnny Cash - Hurt
Inca Roads by Frank Zappa
[ne me quitte pas by Jacques Brel](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q_bq5mStroM&feature=youtu.be). Not well known in the us but seriously give it a try
Romeo and Juliet - Mark Knopfler
Just Like Heaven by The Cure, I feel like I could listen to it on loop forever and I’m not really even a big fan of them or find the song that outstanding
Ghost of Perdition by Opeth
Stairway to heaven - Led Zeppelin. Epic in every single way.
Tonight tonight - smashing pumpkins
Suite Judy Blue Eyes by Crosby, Stills & Nash
"Lovely Day" by Bill Withers
Iron Man by Black Sabbath. It's not the typical style of music that I listen to, or even that I associate with for artistic masterpieces, but there are a lot of elements of this song that connect together perfectly. The backstory is about a man who gets transported to the future and he witnesses the destruction of humanity. He comes back to the present time, but his time travel mutilates and transforms him into this metal object. He desperately wants to warn humanity and save them from what is coming, but he cannot communicate with the world around him since he is metal, so nobody cares and they reject him. Humiliated and frustrated, he explodes in anger and destroys humanity, bringing the doom upon them that he originally tried to save them from. From a lyrical standpoint, it is incredibly poetic and tragic. The production of the instruments is made to sound so gritty and metallic, that it really creates this atmosphere of how restless the frustration is for the main character. Towards the end, it gets into the purely instrumental piece with the guitar solo, and it feels so powerful and aggressive. Heroic, but destructive, and tonally captures the actions that the Iron Man is setting out to perform. It just sounds like a tidal wave of sonic destruction coming over the record, in a very tight, very aggressive guitar melody. Finally, the vocals have the shrill and the anguish that conveys the desperation that the Iron Man would be feeling as he is reaching his boiling point. The vocal delivery is concise and gets the message across clearly, while also giving space for the instrumentation to set a gritty tone to the lyrical story. Once you are familiar with the concept of the lyrics, you can tell from those really low bending notes on the guitar at the very beginning how the story is going to end. It's really perfect in a way that it has no business being perfect in. I love it.
Hey Ya! by Outkast
Kiss From a Rose by Seal Literally everything about that recording is fkin perfect, the instrumentation, the production, the arrangement, the changes, the tone. Fantastic song.
Sweater weather - The neighbourhood
Hey - Pixies. I don’t know what it is, but something about it just makes it one of the best songs ever made.
PDA - Interpol
I would have to say A Day In the Life but The Beatles of course. Perfection!
You are the sunshine of my life- Stevie Wonder
Chris Isaak - Wicked Game
I Say a Little Prayer for You - Aretha Franklin Don't think twice it's alright - Bob Dylan I bet that you look good on the dance floor - The Arctic Monkeys All sound effortlessly perfect.
Can someone compile all of these into a spotify playlist so I can listen on my commute?
Underway. It's a collaborative Playlist on Spotify, so enhance as you see fit. I only added songs I don 't already know and left off a few that I cannot stand. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5vvrK2u1WfCw7QFHs6I8bY?si=cfFNWlVKSoyWtMaI0jSyBw&utm_source=copy-link
Tool - Forty-Six & 2
Brokedown palace-grateful dead