# Best single song representation of these four groups **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [February 8, 2024, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282 "2024-02-08T02:00:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/41 "2024-02-08T15:28:14Z")
Nice. I chose “Live With Me” (also from _Let It Bleed_) for much the same reasons. (I also considered “Bitch,” from _Sticky Fingers_ – even though I don’t really _like_ that song.) ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/42 "2024-02-08T15:29:16Z")
Stones: “Let it Bleed” Queen: “Seven Seas of Rhye” The Who: “The Seeker” Beatles: “Penny Lane” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/43 "2024-02-08T15:34:20Z")
Stones - Start Me Up Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody, which is nearly operatic in nature The Who - Won’t Get Fooled Again The Beatles - Blackbird, if for nothing else than the guitar work ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/44 "2024-02-08T16:09:36Z")
Stones: Can’t You Hear Me Knocking Queen: Somebody to Love The Who: See Me, Feel Me (Live at Woodstock – far superior to the studio version) Beatles: Hard Day’s Night. (It’s against the rules, but they really should be split into a Beatlemania Era / Psychedelic Era.) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/45 "2024-02-08T16:49:32Z")
I think an interesting piggyback/follow up question might be “Best single song by another band that _ **most sounds like** _ The Stones, Queen, The Who and The Beatles”. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/46 "2024-02-08T17:12:21Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > “Best single song by another band that _ **most sounds like** _ The Stones, Queen, The Who and The Beatles”. You read my mind. As a joke, I considered putting “Lies” by The Knickerbockers as the song most representative of The Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/47 "2024-02-08T17:27:59Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Nice. I chose “Live With Me” (also from _Let It Bleed_) for much the same reasons. (I also considered “Bitch,” from _Sticky Fingers_ – even though I don’t really _like_ that song.) Oh, “Live With Me”, also a good choice. “Bitch” I don’t remember, but I listened to Sticky Fingers much less. Okay, now The Who. For background, I owned all their albums in high school and college, went to their shows, and had that Maximum R&B shirt in the 70s. I was enough known as “that Who nut” that a girl I had an (unrequited) crush on once said to me, “I thought of you over the summer when I heard the Who had a new album.” Ah, Edie. So, what am I looking for? - Keith Moon destroying the drums - Power chords! - Roger Daltrey bellowing - Synthesizers? Hmmm…yes. For me it’s down to “Baba O’Riley” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” but what Baba O’Riley has in its favor is that quasi-bridge/chorus that Townshend loves where he sings something in his reedy near-falsetto while the song slows a bit, and then it explodes. In my mind that puts **Baba O’Riley** ahead. Neither of those are my favorite songs. Maybe 5:15 or Love Reign O’er Me, but both of those have somewhat atypical strings/horns. And quite a few songs off Live at Leeds, but as Entwistle pointed out, it’s one of the few times they actually let you hear his bass the way it sounds live (which is one of the biggest things in its favor), so representative of the life band at least, but not with what most are familiar with. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/48 "2024-02-08T18:18:32Z")
The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody The Who - Baba O’Riley The Beatles - A Day In The Life ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/49 "2024-02-08T18:50:14Z")
Those were my picks, except for the Beatles I chose Sgt. Pepper’s. It’s Only Rock & Roll would have been another good one for the Stones. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/50 "2024-02-08T18:56:52Z")
The Rolling Stones - “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” Queen - “Keep Yourself Alive” The Who - “My Generation” The Beatles - “Day Tripper” ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/51 "2024-02-08T19:02:02Z")
The Rolling Stones: (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction Queen: Somebody to Love The Who: Baba O’Reilly The Beatles: Hey Jude ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/52 "2024-02-08T19:05:03Z")
I see a lot of good picks for the Rolling Stones in this thread, but I’m struggling a little bit with “Gimme Shelter” as representative, which is funny because it’s maybe my favorite song of theirs, definitely top three. Not only does it have that spooky, brilliant tremolo guitar intro, but it’s got Merry Clayton’s (almost Dark-Side-of-the-Moon-like) vocals soaring all over the song. To me at least it’s not like many of their songs, which is maybe one of the reasons I like it so much. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/53 "2024-02-08T21:16:37Z")
Queen - either Killer Queen or Radio GaGa Rolling Stones - not my fav band, but I really love Gimme Shelter Beatles - I’ll Follow the Sun (sentimental fav from my childhood) The Who - don’t have a favorite ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/54 "2024-02-08T21:21:28Z")
The Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil Queen - The Prophet’s Song The Who - Love Reign O’er Me The Beatles - All You Need Is Love These aren’t the “#1 with a bullet” songs - they’re multifaceted songs that I believe show the range of the artists. > [@RealityChuck](#): > > While My Guitar Gently Weeps Didn’t Eric Clapton play the guitar solo in that song? ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/55 "2024-02-08T21:48:20Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > Didn’t Eric Clapton play the guitar solo in that song? Yes. George invited him because he knew the other Beatles would be on their best behavior with him present; George felt they often gave his stuff short shrift. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/56 "2024-02-08T21:59:21Z")
Rolling Stones - Satisfaction Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody The Who - Baba O’Riley Beatles - Day Tripper The Beatles were of course the hardest. There really **is** no good single-song representation of their work, they covered so much ground. I went with a song that’s in that transitional period where they’re leaving behind the pop songs about girls and moving on to broader fields, but they aren’t there yet. The Who: I was torn between “Baba O’Riley” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” Tough choice. The other two were easy for me. “Satisfaction” is of course one of the best rock n’ roll songs ever, and it’s always epitomized the Stones for me. And Queen - well, ever since “Wayne’s World,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” has all but overwhelmed the rest of their catalog. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/57 "2024-02-08T22:00:18Z")
Reminder that the goal is to pick the most representative song, not your favorite. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/58 "2024-02-08T22:01:07Z")
Ack, by the time I read through the thread I’d forgotten how it started! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/59 "2024-02-08T22:02:22Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > You read my mind. As a joke, I considered putting “Lies” by The Knickerbockers as the song most representative of The Beatles. I’d have gone with something by The Rutles, but good choice. One of the most Beatleish non-Beatles songs ever. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-single-song-representation-of-these-four-groups/997282/60 "2024-02-08T22:04:22Z")
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