The Most Beautiful Song You've Ever Heard?

[Michael Griffiths]

For me, right now it's 'Songbird' by Fleetwood Mac. That song speaks to me so directly, so intimately - it's as though it was written for me. I guess I'm just human...

Anyone else have a "most beautiful"?

 

[Bonochick]

I'm still a sucker for "Sylvia Plath" by Ryan Adams...it makes me sad...but it's so lovely...so damn beautiful...

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Yeah, I just bought 'Gold' for my (now ex-) girlfriend. She lives in LA, and for many reasons, 'Gold' is a very sad album for me ('Goodnight Hollywood Blvd' being one of them). My favourite song is 'La Cienega Just Smiled'.

 

[Bonochick]

 

[Michael Griffiths]

 

[Calluna]

For me right now it is 'In the Vineyard' from Augie March.

The golden sun is ever gentle in the Valley of Making
Where it's the middle of the Autumn when it isn't high Spring
There are men of many colors and women of all races
wearing white, white linen and smiles on their faces

There are roses round the edges of the grand property
The words "Labor, Ardor, Langor" are its lovely trinity
And when you see just how they dress and how they speak and act too
Well all you'll want to do is dress up in their white linen too

I think you'd like it too, Michael.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

I'm listening to 'Don't Say Goodbye' by U2 (from the Achtung working tapes), and it's so very uplifting, even though Bono doesn't utter one word of coherency!

 

[Michael Griffiths]

For me right now it is 'In the Vineyard' from Augie March.

The golden sun is ever gentle in the Valley of Making
Where it's the middle of the Autumn when it isn't high Spring
There are men of many colors and women of all races
wearing white, white linen and smiles on their faces

There are roses round the edges of the grand property
The words "Labor, Ardor, Langor" are its lovely trinity
And when you see just how they dress and how they speak and act too
Well all you'll want to do is dress up in their white linen too

I think you'd like it too, Michael.

That sounds beautiful. I tried downloading it from Kazza, but no luck. I'll check it out next time I'm at the record store. Thanks Calluna.

 

[pax]

For me, right now it's 'Songbird' by Fleetwood Mac. That song speaks to me so directly, so intimately - it's as though it was written for me. I guess I'm just human...

Oh my God, you are so right about that song. It's one of the few I can play on the piano.

 

[pax]

Oops, I forgot to post a few of mine.

"This Year's Love" David Gray (totally breaks my heart every time I listen to it)
"Farewell and Goodnight" Smashing Pumpkins
"All I Want is You" and "Stay" by U2 (of course!)
"Comfortable" John Mayer
"A Thousand Oceans" Tori Amos
"Lone Star" Norah Jones

 

[MonaVox]

I have a few....

"Secret Garden" ~Bruce Springsteen
"Northern Lad" ~Tori Amos..and a lot of her songs
"This Year's Love" ~David Gray
"Levon" ~Elton John
"The Scientist" ~Coldplay
"Silver Spring" ~Fleetwood Mac
"Hallelujah" ~Jeff Buckley's version
"Purple Rain" ~Prince
"I Envy the Wind" ~Lucinda Williams
"Stand Inside Your Love" ~Smashing Pumpkins
"CRash and Burn" ~Sheryl Crow
"Dancing in the Dark" ~Pete Yorn's version
"Ghost" ~Howie Day
"Creep" ~Radiohead
"Patience" ~GnR
"WGRYWH" ~U2

heh a few

 

[Bonochick]

heh a few

My thoughts exactly!

I agree with you on WGRYWH as well...that's my fave U2 song.

I'm also gonna throw in "Wild Horses" by The Rolling Stones...my fave Stones song...sad and gorgeous.

*pause*

I have a thing with wild horses, apparently.

 

[u2popmofo]

Last Caress by The Misfits...

 

[Sweet Tart]

REM - nightswimming
coldplay - clocks
coldplay - warning sign
oasis - slide away (acoustic)
oasis - shout it out loud
u2 - all i want is you
u2 - gone
fleetwood mac - landslide
dave matthews band - always
counting crows - a long december

 

[Kieran McConville]

I am going to put in a good word for 'We Float' by PJ Harvey, cause it's just so damn smooth and sad and tragic in its self-delusion, like Crowded House's 'Don't Dream it's Over', while also oddly comforting.

So will we die of shock
die without a trial
die on Good Friday
while holding each other tight
this is kind of about you
this is kind of about me
we just kinda lost our way
we were looking to be free
but one day

we'll float

I'll also add a mention for North and South of the River (Omagh version). Why did U2, in the process of focusing on 'just the songs', lose what spark made songs like this in the midst of their so-called trash era?

 

[Michael Griffiths]

I'll also add a mention for North and South of the River (Omagh version). Why did U2, in the process of focusing on 'just the songs', lose what spark made songs like this in the midst of their so-called trash era?

I don't know if that's true. I think 'Kite' has that spark. I think 'Kite' is one of the most emotional songs U2 have ever written, and retains that spark that is found in U2 at their most vulnerable. Other than that, I agree with you: the Omagh version of North and South is beautiful.

 

[MonaVox]

"Raining in Baltimore" ~Counting Crows

"Come Pick Me Up" ~Ryan Adams

"Sunken Treasure" ~Wilco

"#41" ~DMB

"Someone Saved My Life Tonite" ~Elton John

"Bittersweet Symphony" ~The Verve

P.S. "Wild Horses" is my fav Rolling Stones song...I have a bunch of diff groups and ppl doing versions of it. My favs are Sheryl Crow's and The Sunday's

 

[pax]

I'm also gonna throw in "Wild Horses" by The Rolling Stones...my fave Stones song...sad and gorgeous.

Ever hear the Sundays' version? Beauty-ful.

I'm going to add "Everything's Not Lost" by Coldplay.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I don't know if that's true. I think 'Kite' has that spark. I think 'Kite' is one of the most emotional songs U2 have ever written, and retains that spark that is found in U2 at their most vulnerable. Other than that, I agree with you: the Omagh version of North and South is beautiful.

Yeah, possibly I am being a bit harsh and jaundiced. Heck I'll even admit to loving Electrical Storm! I guess it just seems to me at the gut-level that it used to be less obvious - the songwriting, that is. There was a certain tone to the songwriting that seems to have disappeared. I mean, compare N&S of the River or Please with something like Peace on Earth. I concede lots of people love the latter song, but to me it's a sign of how the songwriting lost its guts. Of course I'm on shaky ground here, I know. It's subjective. Anyway N&S was a co-write with Christy Moore I believe, so maybe not the best example.

I actually do like Kite. Can't say I love it, but I respect it, it's decent.

 

[dsmith2904]

For me, right now it's 'Songbird' by Fleetwood Mac. That song speaks to me so directly, so intimately - it's as though it was written for me. I guess I'm just human...

Anyone else have a "most beautiful"?

That song is amazing! I wrote it in a birthday card to my ex-boyfriend (we were together at the time) just because I think that song so perfectly describes an honest, selfless love, whether it's for a lover, child, friend, whatever.

Norah Jones' "Come Away With Me" is filled with these simple songs that are so touching, almost chilling, and incredibly beautiful.

Others:
Alanis Morissette "That I Would Be Good"
Beach Boys "God Only Knows"
The Beatles "Something" and "Golden Slumbers"
Pearl Jam "Black"
Rolling Stones "You Can't Always Get What You Want"

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Ever hear the Sundays' version? Beauty-ful.

Ooh, I've heard it. I like their version.

Some of my picks:

"Nights In White Satin"-Moody Blues (the music in this song is just gorgeous)
"Fields Of Gold"-Sting
"Ruby Tuesday"-Rolling Stones
"All I Want Is You"-U2
"Love Is Blindness"-U2 (beautiful in a haunting sort of way)
I agree with the person who put "Bittersweet Symphony"
"Landslide"-Fleetwood Mac
"Tuesday Afternoon"-Moody Blues (I really like the music these guys have in their songs)
"In Your Eyes"-Peter Gabriel (that's my favorite song by him)
"As Tears Go By"-Rolling Stones
"Here Comes The Sun"-Beatles

Angela

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Here's a break-up album I once made. These are some of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. It's still painful to listen to this!

1. All Apologies - Performed by Sinead O'Connor
2. These Arms Are Mine - Otis Redding
3. Crazy Love - Van Morrison
4. Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
5. Thinking About You - Radiohead
6. Whiter Shade of Pale - Annie Lennox
7. Behind That Locked Door - George Harrison
8. Across The Universe - The Beatles
9. Scared - The Tragically Hip
10. The Humpty Dumpty Love Song - Travis
11. Slide Away - Michael Hutchence / Bono
12. Path of Thorns (Terms) - Sarah McLachlan
13. The Drugs Don't Work - Performed by Ben Harper
14. Redemption Song - Bob Marley
15. From The Morning - Nick Drake
16. Someday Maybe - The Verve
17. Hallelujah - Performed by Jeff Buckley
18. North and South of the River (Omagh) - U2
19. Yellow - Coldplay

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

6. Whiter Shade of Pale - Annie Lennox

*Smacks head*

Duh! How could I forget "Whiter Shade Of Pale"?

I haven't heard Annie's version, but I love the music in the original, it's just beautiful. Perfect for slow dancing with someone (the music, that is-the song itself isn't really a slow dance song what with the lyrics and all)

Another song that's pretty: "Unchained Melody".

Angela

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
All I Want Is You, Stay - U2
The Scientist - Coldplay
China - Tori Amos
Song For A Winter's Night - Sarah Maclachlan
Wild Horses - The Stones ( I nearly lost it when they started playing it when I saw them a few months ago)
Oh My Sweet Carolina - Ryan Adams
Yesterday - The Beatles
Exit Music From A Film - Radiohead
In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel
River - Joni Mitchell


That's all I can think of now, I know there's more.

 

[dsmith2904]

I forgot "Patience" by Guns 'n Roses and nearly every track from George Michael's "Listen Without Prejudice," especially "They Won't Go When I Go."

 

[MonaVox]

OMD... Eva Cassidy's version of...everything...

mostly "At Last" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "time After Time"

P.S. to "God Only Knows" and "Fields of Gold"

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Ooh, another one I just thought of:

"Silent Lucidity" by Queensryche.

That's a pretty song.

And I agree with those who've put "Stay" by U2 in there, too.

"God Only Knows" is a nice song, too.

Angela

 

[tackleberry]

COLDPLAY:


"THE SCIENTIST"

 

[Laura M]

Okay I have uhm a few songs....

John Cale- Hallelujah (I think the songs in Shrek )

Elvis Presley- Edge Of Reality

U2- So Cruel, Stay

Gordon Lightfoot- If you could read my mind

Don McLean- Vincent

Bruce Windscreen- Streets of Philidelphia

Coldplay- Warning Sign, Trouble

Tchaikovsky- Swan Lake

Simon & Garfunkel- Bridge Over Troubled Water

Beatles- Let It Be

Dire Straits- Romen and Juliet

Moby- Why does my heart feel so bad

Travis- Love Will Come Through- nobody else I know has heard it yet and its *REALLY* good!

 

[*BOOMCHAA!*]

"Fields Of Gold"-Sting

That song kills me