[Closed] The Greatest Song Ever Written.

Obviously....

but seriously...

binners +1, obviously..

Probably Auld Lang Syne.

No such thing. Mine varies from day to day...

Usually, the list contains:

Common People - Pulp
Unchained Melody - Righteous Bothers
Jesus of Suburbia - Green Day
Bridge Over Troubled Waters - Simon & Garfunkel
Telegraph Road - Dire Straights
Reach for the Stars - S-Club 7

(Fact).

Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd

Downtown train by Tom Waits.

These are close:

The Importance of Being Idle - Oasis
One Day Like This - Elbow
Friday I'm In Love - The Cure
Some Candy Talking - JAMC
Pale Blue Eyes - Velvet Underground.

But the winner is There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths.

But like Shibboleth says, it varies from day-to-day, hour-to-hour.

New Model Army - Green and Grey

And a close Second Marrakesh

Both give me more Goosebumps than any other track I've heard.

cedar room?
one day like this?
still haven't found what Im looking for?
varies day to day tbh

[url=

Runs away 😀

Stairway to heaven.....................Rolph Harris cover obviously

Largo al factotum - Rossini (I keep meaning to learn the words)
Poison Oak - Bright Eyes

(honourable mentions to)
Alison - Elvis Costello
Ghost Town - Specials
The Mercy Seat - Nick Cave
Wild Billy's Circus Story - Bruce Springsteen

(and for MrWoppit:)
Jerusalem - (You can have the Mark STewart version though, if it makes youfeel better)

Yeah, likewise varies day to day. But it could be any of these...

Oh and why not. Playstation version and everything.

My list varies from day to day, but [url=

this[/url] is always on it. Especially now, on a rainy evening in Agios Nikoloas.....

This
Hey ! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey ! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.
Though I know that evenin's empire has returned into sand
Vanished from my hand
Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping
My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet
I have no one to meet
And the ancient empty street's too dead for dreaming.

Hey ! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey ! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship
My senses have been stripped, my hands can't feel to grip
My toes too numb to step, wait only for my boot heels
To be wanderin'
I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade
Into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under it.

Hey ! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey ! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Though you might hear laughin', spinnin' swingin' madly across the sun
It's not aimed at anyone, it's just escapin' on the run
And but for the sky there are no fences facin'
And if you hear vague traces of skippin' reels of rhyme
To your tambourine in time, it's just a ragged clown behind
I wouldn't pay it any mind, it's just a shadow you're
Seein' that he's chasing.

Hey ! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey ! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

Then take me disappearin' through the smoke rings of my mind
Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves
The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free
Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands
With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves
Let me forget about today until tomorrow.

Hey ! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey ! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.

or ....

In the time of my confession,
in the hour of my deepest need
When the pool of tears beneath my feet
flood every newborn seed
There's a dyin' voice within me
reaching out somewhere,
Toiling in the danger and in
the morals of despair.

Don't have the inclination to
look back on any mistake,
Like Cain,
I now behold this chain of events
that I must break.
In the fury of the moment
I can see the Master's hand
In every leaf that trembles,
in every grain of sand.

Oh, the flowers of indulgence
and the weeds of yesteryear,
Like criminals,
they have choked the breath
of conscience and good cheer.
The sun beat down upon the steps
of time to light the way
To ease the pain of idleness
and the memory of decay.

I gaze into the doorway of
temptation's angry flame
And every time I pass that way
I always hear my name.
Then onward in my journey
I come to understand
That every hair is numbered
like every grain of sand.

I have gone from rags to riches
in the sorrow of the night
In the violence of a summer's dream,
in the chill of a wintry light,
In the bitter dance of loneliness
fading into space,
In the broken mirror of innocence
on each forgotten face.

I hear the ancient footsteps like
the motion of the sea
Sometimes I turn, there's someone there,
other times it's only me.
I am hanging in the balance
of the reality of man
Like every sparrow falling,
like every grain of sand.

Ah. I thought this was about the "Greatest Song Ever Written", not "what songs do you like?".
Maybe you could ask the mods to change the thread title for you?

By definition it's going to be the same, since there's no objective way to evaluate music.

awww druidh, you big old grump

what's great anyway ?

Probably "The End" by The Doors, or "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd. Or perhaps Flower of Scotland. 😉

Witchita Lineman

Dazed and confused - led zep

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all

The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all

The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one;

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all

The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows for our play,
The rushes by the water,
To gather every day;

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

All things dull and ugly,
All creatures short and squat,
All things rude and nasty,
The Lord God made the lot.
Each little snake that poisons,
Each little wasp that stings,
He made their brutish venom.
He made their horrid wings.

All things sick and cancerous,
All evil great and small,
All things foul and dangerous,
The Lord God made them all.

Each nasty little hornet,
Each beastly little squid--
Who made the spikey urchin?
Who made the sharks? He did!

All things scabbed and ulcerous,
All pox both great and small,
Putrid, foul and gangrenous,
The Lord God made them all.

Amen.

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark Satanic mills?
Bring me my bow of burning gold:
Bring me my arrows of desire:
Bring me my spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire.
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

for me it's currently New England (Billy Bragg's version not Kirsty MacColl's)

I'm sure it'll change tomorrow though.

no one appears to have mentioned Hotel California!

Waterloo Sunset

S Club 7 that's priceless 🙂

Club Tropicana - Wham

What druidh said.
But, if I had to pick one...

Gimme Shelter

Song, not performance! A great song is still a great song when sung in the shower or by the fire with an acoustic guitar, or by reading the lyrics and following the melody along the sheet music with one finger on the piano. Gimme Shelter is amazing but much of it is in the performance, not the writing. Dazed and Confused, likewise.

Unstoppable force and immovable object,
repel one another when by chance colliding.
The Brownian-Motion within this love potion,
ensures our opinions are always dividing.
I am from Mars my dear;
you hail from Venus.
A meeting star-crossed
like the Sun and the Moon.
Destined to let this cruel world
come between us.
Our last kiss eclipsed by a shadow at noon.

A rose that is built
out of music by moonlight;
petals stained ruby with nightingale blood.
Cast down in disgust
to be crushed by a cart-wheel,
because of mere trivia misunderstood.

We quest for a grail of illusive perfection,
each hoping we'll find it some glorious day.
Yet gaze with remorse at our jaded reflection,
that looks like The Picture Of Dorian Gray.

[Chorus:]
Siamese Twins who were joined at the heart.
Love's an affliction without a known remedy.
Blunt-bladed fate
deemed to cleave us apart;
Emotional surgery pays no indemnity.
Some seek release with effete anaesthesia,
others adapt to the role of sworn enemy.
You found nepenthe in cheap, sweet amnesia;
It was far easier losing my memory.

And the nightingale sang:
"Sing love's lament
with a thorn at your breast.
Impaled by her barb;
cruel and unforgiving.
A million dead poets would gladly attest;
heart-ache's a keepsake
to remind us we're living."

[Chorus:]
Siamese Twins who were joined at the heart.
Love's an affliction without a known remedy.
Blunt-bladed fate
deemed to cleave us apart;
Emotional surgery pays no indemnity.
Some seek release with effete anaesthesia,
others adapt to the role of sworn enemy.
You found nepenthe in cheap, sweet amnesia;
It was far easier losing my memory.

Mercy, mercy me (the ecology). Marvin Gaye.

Probably as valid now as the day he wrote, what 40 years ago. That takes some beating in my view.

[i]Ah. I thought this was about the "Greatest Song Ever Written", not "what songs do you like?".
Maybe you could ask the mods to change the thread title for you?[/i]

Cheers Druidh, that's exactly what I was thinking.
I would've thought, 'Greatest Song Ever Written?' would mean, 'which song has sold more copies/do more people like than any other/is played the most etc etc. Half the stuff that's been mentioned I've never heard of (which doesn't say a lot TBH). There'll never be a 'greatest' Just a, 'IMO', which is (IMO), Stairway to Heaven.
For tonight anyway but tomorrow it could be Road to Hell.

This forum is based more on opinion than owt else anyway so it doesn't really matter.

Jesus Christ Mr Woppit, it might be because I'm tired and emotional and maybe moving country with the family, but that bloody flaming lips song has me lip wobbling and dusty eyed. Absolutely tip f'ing top.

I honestly have no idea but I've not heard much better than this:

"the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that.

mind you this is rather good too:

Danny Kirwan - in Fleetwood Mac
"Without You"

[i]A great song is still a great song when sung in the shower or by the fire with an acoustic guitar, or by reading the lyrics and following the melody along the sheet music with one finger on the piano. Gimme Shelter is amazing but much of it is in the performance, not the writing[/i]

Garbage. What makes a great song for me isn't the same thing as makes a great song for you. Fact.
I hate covers, so if you're right there's no such thing as the greatest song ever. 😛

So many to choose from - here's a few contenders from various genres:

The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkel
Me and Julio down by the schoolyard - Paul Simon
Crash - Primitives
Twisting the night away - Sam Cooke
Core n'grato (opera) - don't know by whom, but just listen to Pav sing it!
Gimme some lovin - Spencer Davis Group
Only you - Yazoo
New England - Kirsty MacColl
Pressure Drop - Toots and the Maytals
Girlfriend in a coma - Smiths
Ghosts - the Jam

My CD collection is eclectic to say the least............

Will have a look for some Steve Earle stuff, sound good.

North wind if you're gonna go ff7 (playing it at the moment actually) Shirley you mean main theme orchestral version? Close tho.

It isn't garbage. It's like how a great play is about the script, not the performance. Or indeed a great car/bike is different to a great drive/ride. I think Gimme Shelter is the best thing the Stones have ever done but it isn't a great song but a great performance of a good piece of music. There is a difference between songwriting and arranging/playing/singing - if you can't understand that then you don't understand how music works. Personally I often get more excited about recordings of great performances than I do about great songs but I can see the difference! Things get confused in rock music because often the writers are some of the performers. But Dazed and Confused, for example, although credited to Page, was allegedly by an uncredited earlier blues artist.

Thats not steve earl its Townes van Zandt. The quote is from Steve Earl.

Dulli giving it all.....

Oh or since everyone else is picking several, possibly this:

Thats not steve earl its Townes van Zandt. The quote is from Steve Earl.

Sugar Hill Gang - Rappers Delight

Stone Roses - Sally Cinnamon

Faithless - Insomnia

Eton rifles - the jam

Garbage. What makes a great song for me isn't the same thing as makes a great song for you. Fact.
I hate covers, so if you're right there's no such thing as the greatest song ever.

Ironically given the discussion above, I googled the lyrics to I see a darkness:

Well, you're my friend and can you see,
Many times we've been out drinkin',
Many times we've shared our thoughts,
But did you ever, ever notice, the kind of thoughts I got?

Well, you know I have a love, a love for everyone I know.
And you know I have a drive to live, I won't let go.
But can you see this opposition comes rising up sometimes?
That it's dreadful imposition, comes blacking in my mind.

And that I see a darkness.
And that I see a darkness.
And that I see a darkness.
Did you know how much I love you?
Is a hope that somehow you,
Can save me from this darkness.

Well, I hope that someday, buddy, we have peace in our lives.
Together or apart, alone or with our wives.
And we can stop our whoring and pull the smiles inside.
And light it up forever and never go to sleep.
My best unbeaten brother, this isn't all I see.

Oh, no, I see a darkness.
Oh, no, I see a darkness.
Oh, no, I see a darkness.
Oh, no, I see a darkness.
Did you know how much I love you?
Is a hope that somehow you,
Can save me from this darkness.

Bonnie Prince Billy

I don't think I've heard the Johnny Cash cover but there is no way on earth I would actively want to hear it, it would just feel wrong. Like a cover I heard at work today of Love Will Tear Us Apart that made me want throw my shoes at the speakers 🙁

For me it would have to be one of Van Morrison's but I would have a helluva job to narrow it down to one.

Go on, flame me. 😉

It changes hour by hour but at the moment.

@chiefgrooveguru - repeating yourself in a longer winded way doesn't make you right.
I know what you're saying, but I don't agree.

I don't think I've heard the Johnny Cash cover...

Ha, I was doing a bit of painting and decorating years ago whilst listening to the radio and it came on. I remember thinking my god that sounds like Johnny Cash singing I see a darkness, surely it just can't be.... But it was. I was, well taken aback to say the least.

It's actually not bad, and Will himself does backing vocals. He seems to have been genuinely honoured to have been a part of the process.

One of my all time favourite songs.

And we can stop our whoring and turn the smiles inside
And light it up forever and never go to sleep....

Oh just marvellous.

A change is gonna come by Sam Cooke .

Good lord. 😯 Focus, I've seen them a few times and have their albums, on vinyl naturally!

My Curse by The Afghan Whigs.

"hyssop in your perfume...."

End To End Burners by Company Flow

(and for MrWoppit:)
Jerusalem - (You can have the Mark STewart version though, if it makes youfeel better)

A song composed of a series of questions, and the answer to each one is - no.

big_scot_nanny - Member

Jesus Christ Mr Woppit, it might be because I'm tired and emotional and maybe moving country with the family, but that bloody flaming lips song has me lip wobbling and dusty eyed. Absolutely tip f'ing top.

Yep. Profound, and packing a big emotional punch. Which is why I chose it...

I can't believe nobody's mentioned Des'ree yet....

Life

Ooh, Yeah
Oh yeah
Oh Life
Oh Life

I'm afraid of the dark
Especially when I'm in the park
When there's no one else around
Oh I get the shivers
I don't wanna see a ghost
It's the sight that I fear most
I'd rather have a piece of toast
Watch the evening news

Life, oh life
Oh life, oh life
Life, oh life
Oh life, oh life

I'm a superstitious girl
I'm the worst in the world
Never walk under ladders
I keep a rabbits' tail
I'll take you up on a dare
Anytime, anywhere
Name the place, I'll be there
Bungee jumping, I don't care

Life, oh life
Oh life, oh life
Life, oh life
Oh life, oh life
Life

So after all's said and done
I know I'm not the only one
Life indeed can be fun
If you really want to
Sometimes living out your dreams
Ain't as easy as it seems
You wanna fly around the world
In a beautiful balloon

Life, oh life
Oh life, oh life
Life, oh life
Oh life, oh life
Life, oh life
Oh life, oh life
Life, oh life
Oh life, oh life
Oh life, oh life..

Yellow Ledbetter by Pearl Jam

end of thread.

Yes, it's nice to end on a bit of humour.

[i]Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but 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 and one day closer to death.

Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say.[/i]