A couple weeks ago while driving from . . . somewhere (I have a mind like a sieve), Dave and I had the radio on. It may have been August for all I know, and the presence of Christmas songs on at least two stations doesn’t really help identify the season anymore, now does it? I heard next year they plan to just skip Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving and wind up the Bing Crosby around April. You can have a White Christmas when it’s 112 and you’re sweating your mammaries off.
Before I find myself neck deep in a Christmas rant – and really, let’s save that for another post – back to the topic at hand! The Beatles came on the radio, as they are wont to do fifty trillion times a day, and Dave and I started talking about “Yesterday” as the quintessential, perfect pop song. Something to keep in mind: David and I generally don’t agree on music. We meet up here and there, but it doesn’t happen all that often. In fact, usually when we start talking music a slap fight ensues with words like POTTY HEAD and DOODY FACE flung back and forth. These hurtful things take days to overcome, as they tear our confidence down and make us hollow shells of the craptastic people we were before.
The Yesterday thing made us realize, though, that if two assholes like us could agree it’s perfect, other normal people might say so too. Of course, from there we went on to talk about other perfect songs, and how genre effects what might be considered perfect. We both said Boston’s “More Than A Feeling” would probably be a perfect rock song, for example (no, not hard rock or metal, but just old fashioned rock. Put your horns away, Reuben). It’s catchy, it’s got the essential rock guitar solo, and it’s stood the test of time.
The logical question is “What makes a perfect song?” Before I get into identifying “the rules”, keep something in mind: the topic is subjective, so the rules are subjective as well. You may not LIKE my rules, but these are the rules David and I played by, and as such, they’re the rules I’m laying out for this post. That said, onward. I don’t want to cop out and say “you’ll know a perfect song when you hear it”, but you probably will. It’s a combination of catchy melody, a great singer, a balance between vocals and music, and lyrics. If a retarded squirrel wrote your lyrics, it probably isn’t perfect. If it’s one of those songs where the band just spits out the same section of lyrics on repeat fifty times? It probably isn’t perfect. It’s a song that even if you’re not a fan of a genre, you can say “yeah, I can see why you’d say that’s perfect”. It’s a song that will stand the test of time, and will be played fifty years from now when we’re all old and crumbly and pooping ourselves in the Old Folks Home (which sadly, negates obscure/Indie stuff because it didn’t get radio play in the first place).
Obviously, music is one of those things based on opinion, so I’m sure people won’t agree with my list. Better yet, I’m sure they’ll think of songs that should be added that I didn’t think of. If that’s the case, share in the comments. What I’d ask is if you want to put a song up there as perfect, you tell me which genre and why it should be there. If you feel that the damn thing warrants a perfect label, you should be able to say why. Oh, and if you’re feeling crazy, link the song.
Without further ado:
Hillary’s Perfect Song List
- 2Pac & Dr Dre – California (Rap)
- Al Green – Let’s Stay Together (R&B)
- Allman Brothers Band – Ramblin’ Man (Southern Rock) **
- Aretha Franklin – Respect (R&B)
- Beach Boys – Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Pop) **
- Beatles: Yesterday (Pop)
- Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine (Pop/R&B)
- Billy Joel – Piano Man (Pop)
- Blue Oyster Cult – Don’t Fear The Reaper (Rock)
- Boston – More Than A Feeling (Rock)
- Eagles – Hotel California (Rock) **
- Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds (Rock) **
- Eminem – Lose Yourself (Rap)
- Garth Brooks – The Dance (Country)
- George Harrison – My Sweet Lord (Rock) **
- Gordon Lightfoot – If You Could Read My Mind (Pop/Folk) *
- Heart – Crazy On You (Rock)
- James Taylor – Fire And Rain (Rock/Folk) **
- Jim Croce – Time In A Bottle (Rock/Folk) *
- Johnny Cash – Walk The Line (Country) *
- Kansas – Wayward Son (Rock) *
- Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven (Rock) ** DONE UNDER PROTEST
- Madonna – Like A Prayer (Pop) *
- Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On (R&B)
- Metallica – The Unforgiven (Rock/Metal)
- Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (Pop)
- Peter Gabriel – In Your Eyes (Pop) *
- Phil Collins – In the Air Tonight (Pop)
- Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter (Rock)
- Simon & Garfunkle – The Boxer (Rock/Folk)
- Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me) (Pop) **
- U2 – With or Without You (Pop/Rock)
* Added later as I remembered them
** Added after a recommendation by other people and I begrudgingly admit other humans have good ideas too
All right. I know I’m missing things, so I may update as the list comes creeping back into my brain, but it’s a good starting cluster. Now gimme more, folks. Tell me those perfect songs. Or, if you don’t agree with one of these songs as perfect, feel free to say why (reasons like RAP IS SHIT don’t count, btw).
Bring it!
Great great great list.
But where’s the GBS?
It’s not mainstream enough, sadly. I love them, I really do, but I say that band name and get WTF from people a lot of the time.
Hotel California – Eagles
Enter Sandman (though you’ve already got Metallica on there)
Rio – Duran Duran
Life is Highway
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
Name – Goo Goo Dolls
Clint Eastwood – Gorillaz
*digs through iPoD
I debated the Metallica contribution simply because I was stuck between the Unforgiven and Enter Sandman and opted for The Unforgiven in the end.
For grunge rock, Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit might be up there, though I’ll admit to being a little ignorant to a lot of the genre. I know Pearl Jam’s Black was amazing, though, and I wonder . . . who’s better?
The Eagles Hotel California should probably be on there. Still mulling over the other ones.
Personally I thought you could get away with both Pearl Jam and Nirvana. They were both so defining for the genre.
While I thought the Seattle grunge scene was grossly overrated, I contend that Soundgarden was better than both Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
As long as we’re not talking about Blackhole Sun I’m inclined to agree.
No. Way. Soundgarden is in no way shape or form better than Nirvana or Pearl Jam. NEVER!
No, but really. Pearl Jam Black belongs on the list.
Blondie – Call Me
Relax – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Squeeze – Tempted
Echo & the Bunnymen – Lips Like Sugar
ELO – Don’t Bring Me Down
Pat Benatar – Love is a Battlefield
Flo-Rida – Low
Go Go’s – Vacation
Golden Earring – Twilight Zone
Grand Master Flash – White Lines
Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing
Clarence Carter – Strokin’
I could go on!
I am totally loving on Squeeze, Pat Benny, ELO and Flo-Rida in particular. The last? I didn’t even think of, but that song absolutely gets everyone dancing every time, doesn’t it.
Fine choices. I can get behind 91.666666666% of them. (That’s 22 out of the 24 currently listed at the time of this comment, for those keeping track at home.) Can’t dig the 2Pac or the Michael Jackson ones, but that’s purely me hating on them, so there it is.
But what about these that are sadly not on the list?
Frank Sinatra – New York, New York
Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds
Allman Brothers – Ramblin’ Man
Lynard Skynard – The Ballad of Curtis Loew or Simple Man
And just to throw a little synthesized 80′s pop in my mix….
Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me)
I’m glad you busted out the Elvis, because while I agree he needs to be on here I can’t stand him… XD
You brought up Nirvana. I’m not entirely certain we can be friends any more.
I’m actually not a huge Nirvana fan on a personal level.
Just…go listen to Powerglove. Go.
. . . ahahahaha!
For the studio audience: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l1n69jTArI
Procul Harum – A Whiter Shade of Pale
Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal/Thriller
The Doors – Riders on the Storm
Derek & the Domino’s – Layla
Deep Purple – Smoke on the Water
Everlast – What it’s Like
Guns n’ Roses – Welcome to the Jungle
Iron Maiden – …entire discography
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Simple Man
The Police – Walkin’ on the Moon (personal favorite) or Roxanne/Message in a Bottle
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
Rush – Tom Sawyer/Closer to the Heart
The Who – Behind Blue Eyes
Zed Leppelin – Stairway to Heaven
I forgot one really important one.
Jimi Hendrix – Purple Haze or All Along the Watchtowers.
And as for a grunge rock representation? I’d go with:
Soundgarden – Spoonman/Black Hole Sun
Rage Against the Machine – Testify
Hendrix’s Fire is the better song, though All Along the Watchtowers is pretty spectacular.
As much as I like Bohemian Rhapsody, I really do not see it as a perfect song. Queen had a ton of really well crafted songs. Just not that one.
Fat Bottom Girls.
Indie twin #1 reporting:
Gin Blossoms–hey jealousy
I will have more when I can sit down and look through my library. I would argue that if a song from a genre one typically hates makes a one take positive notice–for instance, the Keith urban song Arrens linked me Sunday–that song may have the chops to pass into perfect.
Also, for micheal Jackson, I put gotta be startin sometjin’ as a contender for a perfect song.
Patsy Cline – Crazy (country)
Willie Nelson – On the Road Again (country)
Ernest Tubb – Walking the Floor OVer you (country)
Hank Williams Sr. – I’m so lonesome I could cry (country)
Wham! – Wake me up Before you go go (pop)
Culture Club – Karma Chameleon (pop)
Arrested Development – Tennesse (rap)
MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This (Pop/Rap)
Queen – We Will Rock You (Rock)
Cameo – Word Up (R&B/Dance)
Southern Cross – Crosby, Still and Nash (Rock)
Some spectacular stuff there, Pill. Especially the CS&N piece & the country tunes. Wish I’d thought of them.
My dad loved 50s and 60s country and one of the first things i did when they bought me my own record player was grab both his and my mom’s 45 collections.
My mom was a rock teenager, but my dad’s stuff was full of old country music
Counting Crows — “Rain King” or “Mr. Jones” My personal favorite is “A Murder of One,” but I frown in the general direction of your arbitrary and oppressive mainstream airplay rule.
Dire Straits — “Sultans of Swing”
James Taylor — “Fire & Rain”
Neil Diamond — “Sweet Caroline” (BA-BA-BA)
Sting — “Fields of Gold”
Bryan Adams — “Summer of ’69″
Van Morrison — “Brown-Eyed Girl” or “Moondance”
Hey, rules is rules, and A Murder of One won’t be on a radio playlist in 50 years. If I went by “songs that just rock nads” I’d go for Iron & Wine’s “Passing Afternoon” myself, but we’re talking /legacy/ songs. I’m still eying the Jim Croce song I put up there, even though I hear it on the radio.
DUDE! I can still sing time in a bottle, and I hardly listen to the radio these days.
I’d vote for Mr Jones.
And if we’re going to pull out Dire Straits, I still think Money for Nothing is a better song.
Ehhhh, it’s a toss-up. “Money For Nothing” has the more memorable opening riff, and Sting on backing vocals. “Sultans of Swing” has the more memorable guitar solo. I love them both equally and had to pretty much stop myself from throwing pretty much Dire Straits’ whole catalog on the list.
Lauren, I am appalled that you chose two Van Morrison songs and skipped one of the best songs of all time, “Into the Mystic.” For shame. Also, I think Omaha is my favorite CC song, though I’m not sure if that was ever a radio song.
Well, see, when I think of “Into the Mystic” now, I think of the Swell Season version because of these two awesome people I know that got hitched in May…
Honestly Into The Mystic is a fabulous song.
And What about Round Here?
Van Morrison: Brown Eyed Girl
Neil Diamond: Sweet Caroline
Both Pop. Perfect because I dare you not to start singing along with either of them, especially at karaoke. Even if Sweet Caroline does get on my nerves.
The Smashing Pumpkins: Tonight, Tonight (Rock) The strings are a nice addition to their grunge-rock sound and the lyrics are outstanding.
-Bullet with Butterfly Wings is a close second but is more angry grunge. Who hasn’t felt like a rat in a cage?
Black Sabbath: Iron Man (Rock). Instantly recognizable riffs. One of the staples of the genre.
I’d argue Van Morrison’s Moondance might be the better Van song.
Definitely Iron Man
Wait wait wait, what’s the matter with all of us?
Kansas — “Carry On, My Wayward Son”
It’s been on my list since about two. NICE TRY THOUGH.
Oh. Well, carry on, then.
>.>
SEE WHAT I DID THERE?
I do. I lol’ed.
My List…
Indigo Girls – Galileo
Bonnie Raitt – Thing Called Love
James – Laid
Otis Redding – Sittin On the Dock of the Bay
Neil Young – Heart of Gold
Tom Petty – American Girl
Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over
Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill
George Harrison – My Sweet Lord
Christopher Cross – Sailing
The Cure – Love Song
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
Stevie Wonder – Knocks Me Off My Feet
Morrissey – The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get
Smoking Popes – Need You Around
Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye
Mary J. Blige – You Bring Me Joy
New Order – Regret
Regina Spektor – Fidelity
Oasis – Lyla
Van Morrisson – Into the Mystic
Radiohead – Karma Police
Kelly Clarkson – Since You’ve Been Gone
The Lemonheads – Into Your Arms
No Doubt – Excuse Me Mr.
I better stop now; this is getting out of hand. MUSIC!
btw, that was Indie Twin #2 reporting
What does that make me?
Country cousin?
Shannon? I had Christopher Cross’s Arthur’s Theme up there. I thank GOD someone else besides me thought he warranted a mention.
Though I gotta say, I think Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” is -as good- as “Thing Called Love”.
I just feel like I Can’t Make You Love Me has jumped the shark. I still like it, but I’ve heard one too many bad karaoke versions of it for me to love it anymore.
Christopher Cross is amazing. Don’t let Indie Twin #1 try to tell you different. I also love the Cross/Michael McDonald duet, Ride Like the Wind. Brilliant.
Oh damn, this will be long, and probably reflect my own tastes more than anything!
Adam and the Ants – Stand and Deliver
Bauhaus – Crowds
Belle and Sebastien – I’m a Cuckoo
Calvin Harris – I Get All the Girls
Cat Stevens – Father and Son
Elliott Smith – Bottle Up and Explode
Empire of the Sun – We Are the People
Gorillaz – Clint Eastwood
Jukebox the Ghost – Static
Matisyahu – WP
The Beach Boys – Wouldn’t it be Nice
The Black Seeds – So True
The Clash – London Calling
The Jam – That’s Entertainment
Britney Spears – Toxic (YES I LOVE BRITNEY)
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros – Johnny Appleseed
M. Ward – Chinese Translation
New Order – Ceremony
Tears for Fears – Head Over Heels
The Pretenders – I’ll Stand by You
The Rolling Stones – Wild Horses
Van Morrison – Have I told you lately (not the poo rod stewart version)
Pink Floyd – Wish you were here
Tom Waits – Heart of Saturday Night
Totally agree about Toxic.
Oh, no, the Adam Ant song is goody two-shoes!
I DON’T PUT AWAY MY HORNS.
I’m going to go ahead and post my actual list of Perfect Songs, much of which will probably sound bizarre or off-putting to most people. That’s cool. Limiting myself to one per band cause otherwise I’d have like six Judas Priest songs just for starters. Anything marked with an asterix means “there are other songs by this artist that qualify as Perfect and you should ask me about them.”
Also, some of these aren’t metal, and some of them are totally ridiculous metal. Have fun finding out which is which.
Black Sabbath – Die Young*
Bruce Dickinson – Jerusalem
Danzig – Mother
Deströyer 666 – I Am the Wargod
Destruction – Nailed To the Cross
Dio – The Last In Line
The Doors – Break On Through
Exodus – Piranha
Flogging Molly – The Likes of You Again
George Jones – He Stopped Loving Her Today
Hammers of Misfortune – Trot Out the Dead
Iron Maiden – Hallowed Be Thy Name*
Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues
Judas Priest – Hell Bent for Leather*
The Lord Weird Slough Feg – Highlander
Megadeth – Tornado of Souls*
Mercyful Fate – My Demon
Metallica – Master of Puppets*
Morbid Angel – God of Emptiness
Motörhead – Overkill*
Nick Cave – The Mercy Seat (not the best sound quality but captures the energy it should have)
Nokturnal Mortum – Perun’s Celestial Silver
Overkill – Gasoline Dream*
Pain of Salvation – Iter Impius
The Pogues – Thousands Are Sailing*
Queensryche – Jet City Woman
Sabbat – A Cautionary Tale (I have no idea what that video is either.)
Silly Wizard – Queen of Argyll
Skyclad – The Widdershins Jig*
Slayer – War Ensemble
Sodom – Baptism of Fire
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – Last Dance With Mary Jane
The Tossers – Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye (Another poor sound quality; I’ve got a better mp3)
Virgin Steele – The Burning of Rome*
W.A.S.P. – The Heretic
The Who – Won’t Get Fooled Again
The Young Dubliners – Follow Me Up To Carlow
What, no Decemberists?
I honestly thought about it for a while, but none of their songs struck me as perfect exemplars of what they’re trying to accomplish – they’re all kinda quirky and weird.
I like, for instance, listening to “Bagman’s Gambit” more than I like Slayer’s “War Ensemble.” But I think the latter is a better constructed song. (Even if Slayer is over-fucking-rated.)
Their new track, Down by the Water has made it to mainstream radio in Chicago. I do not feel that I can judge them, as i am far too biased towards them.
[...] Hill posted a note about “The Perfect Song.” Her rules make a certain degree of sense: The [...]
elton john – rocket man (pop)
the beach boys – wouldn’t it be nice (pop)
weezer – come undone (the sweater song) (pop)
[...] week, Hillary wrote a post listing what she feels are perfect songs. Here’s how she describes the “perfect [...]