Music Thread: Songs to hear at least once before you die

[Stagger_Lee]

You also won't get Whole Lotta Rosie

Wanker.

[whale_hunter]

Do You Realize by The Flaming Lips.

This song is the best love/live life to the fullest song I've ever heard.
After the 500th listen, it still has the same kick it did the first time I heard it.

[ohgeetee]

I'd add Wings for Marie(Pt 1)/10,000 days(Wings Pt 2) to the list of Hyperballad, Lateralus, and Where did you sleep last night.

Maynard singing about his Mom's faith in Wings and in a few APC songs is really touching. I am an atheist, but I really like how he respects his mother's faith and devotion, even though it was really all for nothing. I also think the song "Mary did you know" by Mark Lowry is worth a listen. It has a perspective similar to Hyperballad.

If "Where did you sleep last night?" was any indication of how blues would be reintroduced to my generation, it makes Cobain's death that much more tragic. Hearing those songs revisited would be a hell of a lot better than the trash being passed off as music right now.

[RJT]

Wow. Before I read your OP I had already answered to myself - Jeff Buckley Hallelujah.

[jbrent33]

Cissy Strut - The Meters

[Marwan]

In terms of "Widely appreciated" regardless of genre and likes or dislikes, I can see something like Jeff Buckley, but NMH? I like them, but I don't think they'd fit in due to the lead's voice and the fact that they have more of a niche sound.. I'm not sure if I completely understand what OP is asking for though.. As with other threads, anything involving the Arts is really subjective.. I look at Jackson Pollack and see splatter that I think I can do, others see a work of art.. same with songs really.

fwiw I like the Nina Simone suggestions the best so far.

[MEbenhoe]

[ QUOTE ]
In terms of "Widely appreciated" regardless of genre and likes or dislikes, I can see something like Jeff Buckley, but NMH? I like them, but I don't think they'd fit in due to the lead's voice and the fact that they have more of a niche sound.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would agree with you had I listed any other NMH song other than the one listed.

edit to add: I have many friends who I've shared the album with who hate the rest of that album but love King of Carrot Flowers Part 1.

[TroutMaskReplica]

Haven't read the rest of the thread, but the song that immediately sprang to mind for me was Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet by Gavin Bryars. The full piece is an hour long and repetitive, like a mantra, so not something you're going to listen to regularly, but you need to once in full to appreciate its power.

In the composer's words:

[ QUOTE ]
In 1971, when I lived in London, I was working with a friend, Alan Power, on a film about people living rough in the area around Elephant and Castle and Waterloo Station. In the course of being filmed, some people broke into drunken song - sometimes bits of opera, sometimes sentimental ballads - and one, who in fact did not drink, sang a religious song "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet". This was not ultimately used in the film and I was given all the unused sections of tape, including this one.

When I played it at home, I found that his singing was in tune with my piano, and I improvised a simple accompaniment. I noticed, too, that the first section of the song - 13 bars in length - formed an effective loop which repeated in a slightly unpredictable way. I took the tape loop to Leicester, where I was working in the Fine Art Department, and copied the loop onto a continuous reel of tape, thinking about perhaps adding an orchestrated accompaniment to this. The door of the recording room opened on to one of the large painting studios and I left the tape copying, with the door open, while I went to have a cup of coffee. When I came back I found the normally lively room unnaturally subdued. People were moving about much more slowly than usual and a few were sitting alone, quietly weeping.

I was puzzled until I realised that the tape was still playing and that they had been overcome by the old man's singing. This convinced me of the emotional power of the music and of the possibilities offered by adding a simple, though gradually evolving, orchestral accompaniment that respected the tramp's nobility and simple faith. Although he died before he could hear what I had done with his singing, the piece remains as an eloquent, but understated testimony to his spirit and optimism.

[/ QUOTE ]

excerpt here:
http://www.gavinbryars.com/Pages/jes..._failed_m.html

Although it won't really do justice to listening to it in full, it might confirm to the more cynical among you that it's a load of sentimental pish and not worth the effort [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Fans of Tom Waits may also be interested as he doubles the vocals on some of the final sections.

[bekman]

Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Also well known medley with "What a Wonderful World"

Lateralis - Tool Possibly the most inventive time signatures from a rock band throughout this entire album.

Velvet Sky - Los Lonely Boys The entire self-titled album is masterfully recorded, and is music to an audiophile's ears. This is a gem that I don't believe was released as a single.

Note: I don't know what the YouTube links look like because my job blocks access. Best I could do with Google.

[ua1176]

i'll 2nd Tool's "Lateralus." also....

Fiona Apple "Across the Universe" (even better than the Beatles version and probably Fiona's finest moment)

Pink Floyd "Hey You"

The Beatles "A Day in the Life"

Radiohead "Everything in its Right Place"