Greatest song ever written

Roy Orbison recorded it indeed. Never heard his version or the one the Everly Brothers did, though can imagine that their voices would fit the melody perfectly.

Given that it is a country original, it is said that GP/EH's version is the 'definitive' one.

Song was written by Boudleaux Bryant who seems to have helped the Everly Brothers a few times more.

 

A Change is Gonna Come is a landmark performance, as its melody, structure, arrangement, lyrics/engagement and the singer's voice are all exemplary and timeless.
And it doesn't need a cover to make it definitive.

 

Umm, difficult one this. The best song would undoubtably be something by The Beatles, Bacharach, Stones, Dylan etc.

I refuse to be that boring and will vote for any of the following:

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds
Extreme - More than Words
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
Crowded House - Weather With You
U2 - One
Oasis - Wonderwall/live forever

Nessun Dorma anyone!?!?

DT

 

I have an Otis Redding version which isn't bad but doesn't have the same goosebump factor as the original.

On a different tack I think that the Bryan Ferry version of Jealous Guy is better than John Lennons, which begs the thought is the first version you hear of a song the one you tend to prefer?

 

Ferry had already sold out to commerce when he recorded his version which I consider only a fawning copy of Lennon's original.

My explanation (fwiw) of Cooke's version was to indicate why in THIS case the original is better, not to impute that this is always the case, which, of course, it isn't.

E.g., Aretha Franklins's version of The Weight might not outdo the Band's original, but with the choice for a different tempo, the Stax arrangement (this label was at the top of its glorious production capacities then) and her voice (at its best at that time) it became a classic in its own right.

A lot of great songs are covers anyway, which, with older stuff, is often difficult to recognize as they lack a wellknown first version. Elvis complete collection (or approximately) consists of covered material.

 

Blowin' In The Wind-Dylan

 

If Dylan is the 'visionary' songwriter of the sixties, where Sam Cooke does this for the fifties (at least through A Chance is Gonna Come), then what artists/songs from the 70's, 80's and 90's can be seen as their equals?

 

Time to introduce some gold among the dross. Three nominations:

"Hallelujah!" from "Messiah" (Handel)
"Jesu bleibet meine Freude" (Jesu, joy of man's desiring) from Cantata BWV147 (Bach)
"Lauda Jerusalem" from Vespro della Beata Vergine (Monteverdi)

 

Time to introduce some gold among the dross

birdy song - the tweets, still filling dance floors at 40th birthday parties along with abba dancing queen and black lace agdoo

 

I'm sure they sound excellent via valve amps!

 

And, like Led Zeppelin and the rest, even better again when you actually don't plug in the amps

 

Tones,

I was inclined to make you confess that you would be able to sustain at least one rock song, when it crossed my mind that I do not like any classical music myself (just ain't civilized enough for a different outcome).

Manufacturers take advantages of these different tastes, indeed.

 

Mercy Seat - Nick Cave (Mr Cash did a decent cover too)
Street Spirit - Radiohead
La Cienga Just Smiled - Ryan Adams
John Walker Blues - Steve Earle
Teardrop - Massive Attack
Fallen Angels - Nitin Sawnhey
Ghost Busters - that Parker Jnr bloke

Theres loads and loads thought, too hard really

 

ErikfH - who's the girl in the avatar?

BTW - I mostly agree with you re classical - there's maybe 4 pieces I really like, and the rest bores the arse off of me! Beethoven for example starts out really interesting, then gets really dull...

 

Well, I will confess to liking some, Erik - I have a very small collection of pop/rock, mainly for one track, perhaps two, on a CD, the rest of which never gets listened to. However, with my overwhelmingly classical tastes, I could never vote for a rock song as being really great.

In fact, if I had to choose quality popular music, it would have to be back in the 1920s-1940s, when the likes of Rogers, Gershwin, Kern, Lerner & Loewe, Porter, produced music and lyrics the quality and sophistication of which have never been surpassed, with only the Beatles at their most creative coming anywhere near. Somebody elsewhere in this thread mentioned Sinatra. Before he became an institution, with people obliged to applaud every groan, the young Frank was brilliant in his delivery of songs, with phrasing and style rarely equalled. Old Sinatra collections are a bargain. It's like classical - once you get a taste for it, you can never go back.

 

Aha, but Dom, it's universally acknowledged that you're a hopeless case

 

Excellent choices t-bone. Wicked :MILD:

DT

 

A 39-year old girl that I woud like to hold if she asked me for it: Bow Wow Wow's Annabella.

She reminds me a lot of a lady that I forgot to propose a few years back, when she gave me the chance.

Thanks for asking, Dom.

 

good question!!

Nick Drake has written some wonderful songs in the seventies,Pink Moon certainly ranks very highly,and then there is Paul Simon,many of his with Garfunkel are classics

80s? hmmm harder still.A controversial choice would be Marc Almonds Say Hello Wave Goodbye,a wonderful song

90s? Wonderwall? I am The Resurrection?

 

90s Mark Kozelek, Jeff Buckley or Kevin Shields? Shields possibly isn't 'visionary' but I'd rank him prett highly in terms of general goodness

I'd vote for Nick Drake too