Perfect Songs?

Marc Jenkins · Post by **Marc Jenkins** » 1 Feb 2008 7:02 pm

I was thinking about perfect songs today. I think any number of factors thing could make a song perfect, whether it's lyrics, instrumental performance, capturing a magical moment, etc. For me, I know a song is perfect when I want to repeat it in the middle of listening to a whole album, which I almost never do.

Anyone else have a list of songs that just couldn't be better? Here's a partial one...

Elliott Smith - Waltz #3 (from XO)
Neil Young - Words (from Harvest)
Radiohead - You and Whose Army (from Amnesiac)
Jimi Hendrix - Castles Made of Sand (from Axis:Bold As Love)
Miles Davis - All Blues (from Kind of Blue)
Spoon - You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb (from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga)
The Byrds - One Hundred Years From now (Sweetheart of the Rodeo)
Willi Nelson - Blue Eyes Cryin' In The Rain (from Red Headed Stranger)
Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Pump It Up (from This Year's Model)
Wilco - Jesus, Etc. (from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot)
U2 - One Tree Hill (from Joshua Tree)

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 1 Feb 2008 8:00 pm

I'd have to say Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone"

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 1 Feb 2008 8:06 pm

Judy Garland: Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 1 Feb 2008 8:19 pm

It may seem strange coming from an old geezer that loves classic country AND bebop [Charlie,Bird Parker etc]There is one song I listen to once in a while that is pretty close to perfect,just my opinion.is Nikita by Elton John,can't explain why,but I love that song and love the arrangment.DYKBC.

Steve Alcott · Post by **Steve Alcott** » 1 Feb 2008 10:01 pm

Ernest Tubb-"Waltz Across Texas".

Kent Thompson · Post by **Kent Thompson** » 1 Feb 2008 10:11 pm

Your Old Love Letters-Ray Price
Don't Be That Way-Buddy Emmons
Good Deal Lucille-Carl Smith
Blue Eyes-Elton John
The Day You Left Me-Curtis Potter
Here,There And Everywhere-Beatles
Scarboro Fair-Roger Whittaker
Blue Eyes Cryin'In The Rain-Carl Smith

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 2 Feb 2008 4:23 pm

I could go on and on, but one that just popped up on me the other day was "Sweet Child 'O Mine" by Guns N' Roses. They're essentially a one-hit wonder band as far as I'm concerned, their disproportional popularity seemed to me to be a demographic anomaly - who wouldn't like to hear an upgrade from hair metal - but on this one song, they hit it out of the park.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oobDQ0vdm8M

Archie Nicol R.I.P. · Post by **Archie Nicol R.I.P.** » 2 Feb 2008 5:38 pm

S.A.H.B's `Anthem`. Here is a poor quality, but atmospheric video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zuuwG7NuPk

Arch.

Henry Nagle · Post by **Henry Nagle** » 2 Feb 2008 5:57 pm

Funny How Time Slips Away - Willie Nelson
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered - Cole Porter ?
Incident On 57th Street - Bruce Springsteen
Let Him Roll - Guy Clark
Clouds(Both Sides Now) - Joni Mitchell
Satisfied Mind - Faron Young ?
In My Life - The Beatles
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You - Bob Dylan
True Love Ways - Buddy Holly
Barstow - Jay Farrar
Jennifer Johnson - Shell Silverstein
Bruised Orange - John Prine
My Friend George - Lou Reed

etc, etc

Really, it's a ridiculous question, but a fun one. Thanks Marc!

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 2 Feb 2008 6:17 pm

I won't touch 'perfect' and I won't get started on what could be an endless list---there's a lot of great songs in my life--more than 6 or 7, I bet, if I took out my toes and started counting----but here's one that I consider 'miraculous'; Bob Dylan, Positively 4th Street (You've got a lot of nerve...). 8 bars. No bridge. No chorus. Four minutes of nothing but those same 8 bars. And at the end of each verse as it holds the V chord I am ready for another verse. If it didn't fade out it wouldn't know how to end. And I'd still be listening.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 2 Feb 2008 6:40 pm

Easy as Pie. Everly Bros.

The Man that Got Away, Judy Garland.

Matter of fact, just about anything she did qualifies in my book. There is a good Bio of JG on OPB. Judy Garland, Dina Shore and Dale Evens have always been my favorite female vocalists.

What a Way to Live, WN,

Thanks a Lot, ET

My Hand, by Buddy Miles

Down by the River Buddy Miles.

1983 by Jimmy Hendrix.

Many more, but just a few I thought of.

EJL

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 2 Feb 2008 6:41 pm

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 2 Feb 2008 6:55 pm

There are so many, but one that never fails to send a shiver down my spine is Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game", in all its three chord minimalist glory..

Steinar

Dennis Graves · Post by **Dennis Graves** » 2 Feb 2008 7:09 pm

I Threw Away The Rose---Merle Haggard
Satisfied Mind---Porter Wagoner
He Stopped Loving Her Today---George Jones
The Grand Tour---George Jones
Chiseled In Stone---Vern Gosdin
I Can't Stop Loving You---Don Gibson
Together Again---Buck Owens

It's good ole country all the way for me.

Dennis

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 2 Feb 2008 7:40 pm

"Bartender's Blues" George Jones.

Brett-"Redgold Beauty's proud player/owner

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 2 Feb 2008 7:52 pm

Any song Ray Price has ever sang, and "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" swing style of course.

Richard Nelson · Post by **Richard Nelson** » 2 Feb 2008 8:50 pm

Buy me a Rose ... Kenny Rogers and Alison Krauss... the strings.... wow... and the harmony vocals.... and great steel too . Who was that ?

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 2 Feb 2008 10:01 pm

Steinar,Wicked Games is a good listening song,And the vidio was really good for watching also.DYKBC.

Marc Jenkins · Post by **Marc Jenkins** » 2 Feb 2008 10:55 pm

Henry, you are right, this IS ridiculous... but fun.

There are a lot of songs listed here that I could easily add to my list... especially 1983, Positively 4th Street and Tonight I'll Be Staying...

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 2 Feb 2008 11:50 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uPcz37IWGQ

Scott Shipley · Post by **Scott Shipley** » 2 Feb 2008 11:59 pm

Porter Wagoner...."Caroll County Accident"
Well written, nice twist to the end of a good story, great music. Not overproduced, and it even had b*njo!!!

No radio tag. When the song is over, IT'S OVER. Remember the good ol' days?
$:\$

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 3 Feb 2008 12:47 am

I've yet to hear a song that I could call 'perfect'. I usually like songs for their parts - some may have only one or two good parts, others may have several. But I've never liked an entire song.

That said, there are a lot of songs that I like because they have certain parts that make them 'hits'. For me, a song has to have some kind of 'hook' to it to make me want to listen to it again.

Henry Nagle · Post by **Henry Nagle** » 3 Feb 2008 1:06 am

We Are The Champions - Queen
Another Friday Night - David Ackles
Bugs - Bobbie Gentry
Tired Eyes - Neil Young

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 3 Feb 2008 2:19 am

A perfectly crafted song and still highly enjoyable: Steve Goodman`s City of New Orleans. It`s been done way too many times, but imagine hearing it for the first time.
Also,Jimmy Webb`s stuff like Wichita Lineman etc.

Scott Shipley · Post by **Scott Shipley** » 3 Feb 2008 3:21 am

Yeah Olli, all those sides Jimmy Webb produced on Glenn back in the day were incredibly well crafted. The chord changes were perfect. Great use of colors.