signature songs

[pauliewalnuts]

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i'm only now jumping in and your reply is the first i've seen so i'll just respond to it (mostly because of genesis).

clapton - gotta be tears in heaven on widespread recognition.
elton john - isn't candle in the wind one of the best-selling albums of all time?
doobie brothers - listen to the music is more uptempo and easily as well-known as black water.

genesis though, wow. that's a seriously difficult one. my best guess would be i can't dance because it puts phil out in front and it was "recently" popular in genesis history, but land of confusion probably stands out the most to me. it could just be that the video was so intense for a kid. they have a shocking amount of songs that people would instantly recognize but be unable to identify.

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I cant really argue with you about Tears in Heaven or Candle in the Wind.

But I would think Black Water is more well known than Listen to the Music. I would put it just a step below, along with Long Train Runnin' and possibly China Grove.

I also disagree on Genesis. I can see the argument for Land of Confusion. I almost listed it in my first post as a #1a to Invisible Touch. But I dont think I Cant Dance has near the recognition of the other two. Good song though, by a great band.

[BeaucoupFish]

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i don't get the prince/purple rain suggestions. people know it as a landmark album of his and even a movie, plus he was wearing purple nonstop so it had a lot of identity and all of that. but the song? when doves cry seems way ahead of that, as does 1999. the first one i think of myself is still controversy. it tells the whole story, where he started and where he would end.

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I agree WDC was landmark (there is actually no bass in the track), but if you go see him in concert, and he strikes that first chord, everyone goes nuts more than any other track (c-l-a-n-g "I...nevermeanttocauseyouanysorrow....thankyou , thankyou"). You could pick a dozen signatures for Prince (Controversy, 1999, Little Red Corvette, Paisley Park, Kiss, Sign O' The Times).

I saw him at an after-show at The Cross in London last decade - I was so close, if the guy sweated, I would've been covered in purple sweat. Mayte stage-dived on top of us. Yumm.

[amplify]

Nobody has gotten Dylan right, It's not Like a Rolling Stone, Forever Young, All Along the Watchtower, Knockin' on Heaven's Door, or any of that. It's definitely Blowin' in the Wind.

[I.Rowboat]

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GD - The only reason I'm going to say Touch of Gray because of its commercial success. But bands like the Dead or Phish have diffrent "signature" songs for each decade or so

Like for the Dead if you listen to stuff in the 70's you'd be inclined to say Casey Jones

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Sorry, but in a friendly-but-adamant-way, I gotta disagree here. The Grateful Dead's signature song is Dark Star. Period. It was not commercial, it was rarely played after 1974, but nonetheless it is the essence of their music, and the song that Deadheads and band alike would most closely associate with their sound. The runner-up choice (but separated by a wide margin) would be "Playing in the Band."

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Also a firendly-but adamant disagree. Though Darkstar is def more under the radar than most, I would doubt that most fans would consider it their sig song. Considerinf its not really a song but a jam. While Playing is a great song I dont know why u feel it represents the Dead. I think for the fans, the song most enjoyed at the shows was a good Terrapin or Dew (obv something Jerry). However, for this thread I believe Truckin fits it the best.

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Well...I doubt we will persuade each other, and it's-all-good-etc., but as someone who saw the band ~240 times between 1981 and 1995, I can tell you straight up Dark Star is their signature song: it is the song that best summarizes their sound, their improvisational skills, and their "reach" as a band. Like an acid trip, the song moves from structure to chaos, where it lingers for a while and where things get good and weird before moving back to the safety of structure. Dark Star is the very essence of the Grateful Dead.

The opening sentence of the Wikipedia entry on Dark Star says pretty much the same thing:

""Dark Star" is a song by the Grateful Dead, and widely considered to be the group's signature song."

Casual fans may not consider this to be their signature song, and in fact casual fans may not even like it, but I would expect any Deadhead to tell you that musically, Dark Star was it.

[NT!]

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i don't get the prince/purple rain suggestions. people know it as a landmark album of his and even a movie, plus he was wearing purple nonstop so it had a lot of identity and all of that. but the song? when doves cry seems way ahead of that, as does 1999. the first one i think of myself is still controversy. it tells the whole story, where he started and where he would end both musically and lyrically.

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i was about to post something along these lines. you never hear purple rain on the radio. most people who aren't big fans don't really know it that well.

now, it's one of my favorites of all time, but i think it's gotta be WDC, Little Red Corvette, 1999 or Kiss.

When You Were Mine and Raspberry Beret are both great songs too.

NT

[shaniac]

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Nobody has gotten Dylan right, It's not Like a Rolling Stone, Forever Young, All Along the Watchtower, Knockin' on Heaven's Door, or any of that. It's definitely Blowin' in the Wind.

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No way dude. That was his signature song in the early 60s, but if you take his career as a whole, it's Like a Rolling Stone, not even close/

[shaniac]

Sheryl Crowe - Leaving Las Vegas

Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time

(?)

[Jasper109]

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Sheryl Crowe - Leaving Las Vegas

Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time

(?)

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Sheryl - All I Wanna Do
Bonnie - Something To Talk About

[BeaucoupFish]

Ashley Parker Angel: Let U Go and its not close.

[amplify]

Joe Walsh - Life's Been Good or Rocky Mountain Way?