The Five Best Songs Ever

[Posher778]

I posted this in General because I think it can grow into a real discussion here. What do you think the five best songs ever written are? My choices aren't in any real order, because no one can ever really say which the "best" is. But these are my five:


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1. Don Mclean- American Pie

Everyone knows this song. It's basically flawless in all aspects of music. It's country, it's rock, it's blues, it's everything. Don's voice is incredible. The song captures the emotions. It makes you happy, it makes you sad, it makes some of us nostalgic. Any way you look at it, it's undeniably deserving of a spot in the top.



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2. The Who- Baba O'Riley

How can you deny this one? It's got a spectacular beat, and incredible vocals. The lyrics aren't too shabby either. Prove me wrong. Teenage wasteland for the gold.


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3. Nirvana- Smells Like Teen Spirit

The song that basically defined the 90's generation. Many will disagree, but it's truly an amazing song. Cobain basically mumbles and wails about nothing, but for some reason, the song says a lot.


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4. Queen- Bohemian Rhapsody

It makes you laugh (Magnificooooooo!) (Nooooo, we will not let you go!)
It makes you cry (Mama, I don't wanna die, I sometimes wish i'd never been born at all) It captures the full spectrum of emotions, all in five minutes. Not to mention an incredible guitar part, and some of the best vocals ever recorded.


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5. Red Hot Chili Peppers- Under The Bridge

I initially had Stairway to Heaven in this spot, but after relistening to both songs, I think RHCP takes the trophy. It may not be nearly as popular to everyone, but I think the vocals are way better, the guitar is way nicer to listen to, and the lyrics are a lot better. Stairway to Heaven is just a little bit to spacey.


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Runner Up:

Led Zeppelin- Stairway to Heaven

Ok, so I don't care much for Zeppelin. This song doesn't really mean that much to me either. I was just as close to putting Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd here, but I know this song is way more influential and well known. Everyone, literally, knows this song. So, it takes the spot.


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Runner Up 2:

The Beatles- Hey Jude

It's basically quintessential. Everyone knows this song. It's an incredible ballad, and one of the original *hold up the lighter and sway* songs. Perfection.


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Runner Up 3:

Simon and Garfunkel- The Sound of Silence

It's haunting, and flawless. It's relaxing, and the lyrics are absolutely stellar. The vocals can hardly even be met by anyone, even today, so I think it's well deserved. Not to mention the message conveyed in the song.


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Honorable Mentions:

Soundgarden- Black Hole Sun
Guns N' Roses- Sweet Child O' Mine
Boston- More Than A Feeling
Alice In Chains- Man in the Box
Alice Cooper- School's Out
Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here
Elton John- Tiny Dancer
Metallica- One
The Moody Blues- Nights In White Satin
R.E.M.- The Great Beyond
Radiohead- Subterranean Homesick Alien
The Rolling Stones- Gimme Shelter
Spin Doctors- Two Princes
Tears For Fears- Head Over Heels
Oasis- Wonderwall
Velvet Revolver- Fall To Pieces
The White Stripes- Seven Nation Army
3 Doors Down- Kryptonite

[Doc Faustus]

I'd say Don't Fear the Reaper, All Along the Watchtower (lyrics and melody so versatile that all kinds of artists leave an imprint with it), Roy Orbison's In Dreams, Always a Woman by Billy Joel, Anarchy in the UK by the Sex Pistols and the Ella Fitzgerald version of Mack the Knife.
Honorable Mention: Yer Blues by the Beatles, All the Young Dudes by David Bowie, Me and Bobby Mc Gee by Kris Kristofferson, Radio by Elvis Costello, Straight to You by Nick Cave, Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits, Epitaph by King Crimson

[ferretchucker]

Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)

Pretty much every reason Posher said. It's just had such a great impact on music everywhere, and is one of many great tributes to Queen's brilliance.

Space Oddity (David Bowie)

Every time I hear this song it touches me (I'm thinking of filing a lawsuit). It's a real sad song and has some really unique parts to it.

I don't Wanna Miss a Thing (Aerosmith)

This is another song that I think moves people when they hear it. A great love song.

Symphony No. 5 (Ludwig Van Beethoven)

Though there are no words to this, so I don't know if it can be called a song, I really love this piece of music. Though it's classical, a genre not appreciated by a great number of people in this day and age, it is incredibly well known, and has a real impact on whatever it is being used with, if anything.

Stacy's Mom (Fountains of Wayne)

My favorite song of recent years, and it never fails to raise a smile. I can't really explain why I like it so much, but I do.

[Monster76]

that's a tough one. so many good songs. But Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" has got to be on the list.

[sfear]

[B]Symphony No. 5 (Ludwig Van Beethoven)

Though there are no words to this, so I don't know if it can be called a song, I really love this piece of music. Though it's classical, a genre not appreciated by a great number of people in this day and age, it is incredibly well known, and has a real impact on whatever it is being used with, if anything.

Good choice. I collect Beethoven 5ths. My personal favorite is Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic. My (very close) second favorite is Bruno Walter conducting the Columbia Symphony. Though some may not be able to tell the difference each version is a little different and sometimes a whole lot different. :)

Arthur C. Clarke once famously observed "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" to which I would add "music is magic." And magic is what you would need to come up with a list even approximating the five best songs in an arena as vast and varied as popular music. One man's enthusiasm would be a good as another's and no two experts would arrive with identical selections. I certainly don't have the qualifications to suggest the top five but I can choose five that when they flow out of my headphones put an extra bounce in my walking shoes.

1. "The Stars And Stripes Forever" by John Philip Sousa. Jay Pee's masterpiece whether you're a patriot or not. In my mine the greatest march ever written. The three different melodies weaving together at the end is music lovers' heaven.

2. "Penny Lane" by the Beatles. Released as a single with"Strawberry Fields" in early 1967 this precursor to the quantum leap known as Sgt. Pepper mixes offbeat imagery and poetry to tell a compelling story which almost but doesn't quite make sense. But it's a story I never tire of.

3. "Adiemus" by Karl Jenkins. Not sure how to categorize this or explain why it appeals to me so much. First heard it on a television airline commercial and later found it on the Pure Moods album and have never felt such joy. Atmosfearic, otherworldly, magical, brilliant.

4. "Main Title" from THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY by Ennio Morricone. Stunningly original, never heard anything quite like it before or after I first viewed the movie upon its initial release. One morning it (the song) came on and I punched the repeat button and walked at least forty-five minutes listening to this miracle of music over and over.

5. "Silver Moon" by Michael Nesmith. Not sure how many have heard this catchy tune but one of the truest tests I have to judge the quality of a song is how well it holds up to repeated listenings and "Silver Moon" just keeps getting brighter.

[neverending]

Imagine is my all time fave. Ferron's Ain't Life a Brook affects me personally. Melanie- Baby Day. Donovan - Jersey Thursday. Spike Jones' Pal-Yat-Chee

[fortunato]

The Beatles- Happiness is a Warm Gun

[Babygurl20]

"Imagine"-John Lennon
"Dreams"-Fleetwood Mac
"Sister Golden Hair"-America
"Creep" and "Plush"-Stone Temple Pilots
"Midnight Rider"-Allman Brothers
"Long Black Veil"-Johnny Cash

I could keep going on and on, but for now these just popped into my head!!! And yes I know it's six!!!

[roshiq]

Fields of Gold -- Sting
Leaving on a Jet Plane -- John Denver
Blowin' in the wind --Bob Dylan
Hotel California --Eagles
Romeo & Juliet --Dire Straits

Honorable Mentions:
Wind of Change --Scorpions
November Rain --GnR
Under The Bridge --Red Hot Chili Peppers
Shape of my heart --Sting
Fast Car --Tracy Chapman

[_____V_____]

Under The Moon - ICP
Imagine - John Lennon
Just The Way You Are - Billy Joel
Last Kiss - Pearl Jam
Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers

[ferretchucker]

I've never really understood the appeal of the song Imagine.

[massacre man]

I've never really understood the appeal of the song Imagine.

I never really understood the appeal of Pearl Jam, at all, any, ever. Not directed at you. Just a head-scratcher.

[Zero]

hmm- hard to pick 5 but here are a few i think should be considered that haven't been so far:

Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
AC/DC - Highway to Hell
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Public Enemy - Welcome to the Terrordome
The Smiths - How Soon is Now


(ok - i stopped at 5!)

[_____V_____]

I never really understood the appeal of Pearl Jam, at all, any, ever. Not directed at you. Just a head-scratcher.

Just listen to that one song. Visualise the lyrics.

[Dante'sInferno]

1. Alice In Chains - Again

2. Gary Numan - Down In The Park

3. The Chordettes - Mr. Sandman

4. The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter

5. Camille Saint-Saens - Danse Macabre




That's right, no Nine Inch Nails songs. :)

[massacre man]

Just listen to that one song. Visualise the lyrics.

Whenever I listen to Pearl Jam all I visualize is kicking Eddie Vedder in the throat.

[Thomasgeorge]

gnr november rain sucks so badly

[Posher778]

gnr november rain sucks so badly

Good statement! Your ethos practically oozes from your flesh.

[alkytrio666]

I've never really understood the appeal of the song Imagine.
It's lyrics are huge- so peaceful, so beautiful, so meaningful.
But, you know, maybe not like "Stacey's Mom"...

[massacre man]

gnr november rain sucks so badly

Death Magnetic.

[Doc Faustus]

Just listen to that one song. Visualise the lyrics.

It's a cover.

[ferretchucker]

It's lyrics are huge- so peaceful, so beautiful, so meaningful.
But, you know, maybe not like "Stacey's Mom"...

Yeh, it has a message. I just find it pretty dull. Never really peaks for me.

[stubbornforgey]

Vincent .........Don Mclean
Cant get enough of your love.......Barry White
Garden Party..........[forgot the artists name]
Mac Arthurs Park...Donna Summers version
State of the heart..Mondo Rock

oh and Sad say so much..Elton John
Piano Man..Billy Joel..
I know you only asked for 5 but .. 'shrug'

[Doc Faustus]

Rick Nelson did Garden Party. Good choice. Vincent is beautiful, too. I like it a lot better than American Pie.

[stubbornforgey]

Rick Nelson did Garden Party. Good choice. Vincent is beautiful, too. I like it a lot better than American Pie.


ahhh yes..Rick Nelson.
I like the story lines behind each of those songs. and
thanx ..otherwise it would be driving me nuts. :o

[Psycom5k]

ya know I sat here for a half an hour compiling a list of my top 20(I can't single it down to 5) favorite songs, in order, and getting links to videos for them, then I accidently hit the back button while trying to go back to the youtube search after doing 19 of them and lost the entire list. So fuck it, i'm too annoyed to even list them now. I'll do it some other time.

[bwind22]

This is hard, but here goes....

Paint It Black - Rolling Stones
Perfect People - Pennywise
Fuck Authority - Pennywise
Punk Rock Song - Bad Religion
Pity the Dead - Bad Religion