All-Time Favorite Song!

[manwithouthat]

I admit it: I'm a music snob. I grew up listening to over 4,000 45's (a lot of you aren't even old enough to know what a "45" is/was)and hundreds of albums.

I can go toe-to-toe with anyone on rock trivia from the 50's to the 90's (please don't waste your time challenging me on anything from 1982-1987).

Shoot, I'm even a published author - specificially on themes pertaining to the origins or rock and roll, the origins of rap and the merits of Brian Wilson vs. The Beatles.

I offer these things not to brag but to illustrate the amount of serious deliberation and the recent realization of the following:

My favorite song of all time is "Your Love" by The Outfield.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78pQOkLTdFo

There is no greater hook nor infectious quality than this song. Easily recognized by multiple generations, few are immune from singing its opening lyric..."Josie's on a vacation far away...".

The perfect pop song that never gets old!

How say you?

Name your favorite song - and back it up! It's harder than you think!

 

[Ace Bandage]

Aqua - Barbie Girl.

But seriously it would have to be: Death Cab for Cutie - Crooked Teeth:

I'm in a war of head versus heart
And it's always this way
My head is weak, my heart always speaks
Before I know what it will say

I'm more into lyrics than anything, and this song excels in that area.

 

[YMIHERE]

Here's a short but sweet song.

 

[Neutron66]

Red Barchetta by Rush.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAvQSkK8Z8U

I was 15 and had just started playing the drums. I'd wanted to for years but never had the opportunity. After moving to a new school in a considerably more populated area I got the chance.

I became good friends with a guy who was a year younger than me but had been drumming his whole life. Despite being a year behind me in school, he became a mentor to me both with the drums and music in general.

At his 15th birthday party he got a bunch of LPs. One of them was Moving Pictures by Rush which was only about 2 years old at the time.

After we had cake and ice cream he took me into his room...sat me in a chair by his stereo...put headphones over my ears...put Moving Pictures onto the turntable...and told me..."If you want to be a drummer you have to listen to the drumming on this song."

The song was Red Barchetta. I didn't know who Rush were at that time. I grew up in the sticks with limited radio. By the time the song was over Rush had become my favorite band and Red Barchetta was my favorite song.

Twenty five years later Red Barchetta is still my favorite song and Rush is still my favorite band.

 

[The Grasshopper]

The End by The Doors will always be my favorite song by my favorite band led by my favorite poet / singer of all time, Jim Morrison. :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

 

[lurkingdirk]

i have a doctorate in music, and teach popular music courses (couple a year). i've been doing this a long time, and could likely go toe-to-toe with you. it would be a fun evening, i'm betting.

while there are plenty main-stream bands to choose from, but i'm going to go with two songs, both indie.

1. Skinny Love by Bon Iver. This song is melodic, memorable, and has interesting harmony. it has easy to remember concepts and simplistic but appealing minimal accompaniment. bon iver's songwriting capabilities are highlighted here.
2. Hide and Seek by imogen heap. This is not just electronica. she very cleverly wrote an algorithm that can be adapted to various computer programs, allowing real-time sync. this is not a programmed piece accomplished by studio bling. she does this piece live with her hands on a keyboard. the tight harmonies are a result of the compositional decisions she makes real-time. additionally, this song has parts of it that are in an accessible range to almost every listener. this is not only exceptional song writing with interesting lyrics, it is amazingly executed by the singer/songwriter AND the production quality is top-notch. full points on this one.


how's that? :glugglug:

 

[manwithouthat]

i have a doctorate in music, and teach popular music courses (couple a year). i've been doing this a long time, and could likely go toe-to-toe with you. it would be a fun evening, i'm betting.

while there are plenty main-stream bands to choose from, but i'm going to go with two songs, both indie.

1. Skinny Love by Bon Iver. This song is melodic, memorable, and has interesting harmony. it has easy to remember concepts and simplistic but appealing minimal accompaniment. bon iver's songwriting capabilities are highlighted here.
2. Hide and Seek by imogen heap. This is not just electronica. she very cleverly wrote an algorithm that can be adapted to various computer programs, allowing real-time sync. this is not a programmed piece accomplished by studio bling. she does this piece live with her hands on a keyboard. the tight harmonies are a result of the compositional decisions she makes real-time. additionally, this song has parts of it that are in an accessible range to almost every listener. this is not only exceptional song writing with interesting lyrics, it is amazingly executed by the singer/songwriter AND the production quality is top-notch. full points on this one.


how's that? :glugglug:

Lurkingdirk -

You can't submit two songs - just one.

Even though I shut everything down after 1995, I am aware of "Hide & Seek." I agree that it is an incredible song and I was awestuck the first time I heard it ("Crop circles in the carpet.."). I always thought she was using a vocoder - is this not the case? How say you to "Moments in Love" by Art of Noise?

If you want to do some rock trivia, I'm game. However, we would have to establish some guidelines or it would be no fun (ex. "What was the third song that was supposed to be on the second album that was scrapped by The Proclaimers?") Get my point?

We can throw down here but it would probably be better if a new thread was started for the purpose of music trivia or you can PM me through this site!

Thanks for your submissions (but, again, the challenge is to find ONE song).

 

[dooney]

Michael Jackson-Baby be Mine

 

[lurkingdirk]

Lurkingdirk -

You can't submit two songs - just one.

Even though I shut everything down after 1995, I am aware of "Hide & Seek." I agree that it is an incredible song and I was awestuck the first time I heard it ("Crop circles in the carpet.."). I always thought she was using a vocoder - is this not the case? How say you to "Moments in Love" by Art of Noise?

If you want to do some rock trivia, I'm game. However, we would have to establish some guidelines or it would be no fun (ex. "What was the third song that was supposed to be on the second album that was scrapped by The Proclaimers?") Get my point?

We can throw down here but it would probably be better if I a new thread was started for the purpose of music trivia or you can PM me through this site!

Thanks for your submissions (but, again, the challenge is to find ONE song).

ok, i'll withdraw skinny love, and leave hide and seek.

she's not using a vocoder, that's part of why it is so amazing. she's using a harmonizer (digiTech vocalist workstation), which creats an altered a cappella sound. so, unlike a vocoder, this can be done live and is completely controlled by/creatively altered by the artist in live time. that's part of her creative genius: pushing the technological envelope while being creative artistically.

i don't want to throw down here or on pm. i have no doubt whatsoever that your knowledge is impeccable, and i'm very confident in my own knowledge. let's see what others have to offer here and see if we can't make creative and interesting conversation rather than competing.

cheers! :glugglug:

 

[manwithouthat]

"... so, unlike a vocoder, this can be done live and is completely controlled by/creatively altered by the artist in live time..."

:glugglug:

Uh-oh. Your musical expertise is already somewhat suspect. A vocoder effect is not something that is necessarily created in the studio (it's not like the auto-tune patch that everyone's using today). Rather, a vocoder is an effect that is used in realtime and is played live on a keyboard - thus, it can be "controlled by/creatively altered by the artist" at any time.

I do not doubt, however, that heap has introduced something new to the effect.

Still a super cool song, though...

 

[lurkingdirk]

^^i know what a vocoder is. try controlling it live to the extent that heap does in her song.

in addition to statistical knowledge, i have practical experience on my side.

 

[jasonk282]

So many to chose from, I pretty much stopped listening to new bands from about 2002, the whole emo whiny thing just does not work for me. I pretty much listen to metal although AC/DC is rock, to me they are borderline metal.

Favorite song of all time would have to be Slayer Raining blood when I first hear this as a kid I was Hooked on metal for that day on, nothing but metal.

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

 

[manwithouthat]

So many to chose from, I pretty much stopped listening to new bands from about 2002, the whole emo whiny thing just does not work for me. I pretty much listen to metal although AC/DC is rock, to me they are borderline metal.

Favorite song of all time would have to be Slayer Raining blood when I first hear this as a kid I was Hooked on metal for that day on, nothing but metal.

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

I agree. The emo stuff sucks ass. I gave up on music a few years earlier as N'Sync, Brittany, and the Backstreet Boys clogged the charts.

Thanks for posting the link to Raining Blood. I'm sure I just opened a portal to Hell simply by listening to the song. That's some intense stuff!

 

[jasonk282]

I agree. The emo stuff sucks ass. I gave up on music a few years earlier as N'Sync, Brittany, and the Backstreet Boys clogged the charts.

Ugh, it it was legal I would lead my squad and just kill them all for making music like that.

Thanks for posting the link to Raining Blood. I'm sure I just opened a portal to Hell simply by listening to the song. That's some intense stuff!

That's pretty OK considering some of the European metal bands that I listen to. Hell is not a bad place to be all the interesting people are there

 

[Shifty]

Paradise City

 

[knowone]

Meat Loaf's "Bat out of Hell"

 

[habo9]

Pink Floyd - The Gunners Dream , from the album "The Final Cut" :hatsoff:

 

[habo9]

Aqua - Barbie Girl.

But seriously it would have to be: Death Cab for Cutie - Crooked Teeth:

I'm in a war of head versus heart
And it's always this way
My head is weak, my heart always speaks
Before I know what it will say

I'm more into lyrics than anything, and this song excels in that area.

Brilliant tune , great choice :thumbsup:

 

[Shifty]

Paradise City

This choice is my 'all-time favorite intro'. I cannot decide on an all-time favorite song.

 

[Baill Inneraora]

Mary had a little lamb