# Best song of all time **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 30, 2000, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932 "2000-05-30T20:20:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nacho4Sara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Nacho4Sara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nacho4Sara)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2000, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/21 "2000-05-31T21:37:11Z")
The Long Medley (Abbey Road), The Beatles (best rock) Paint It Black, Stones (same as above) Feels Like Home, Bonnie Raitt (best love song) Wonderful Tonight, Eric Clapton (ditto) At Last, Etta James (best blues) These Foolish Things, Billie Holliday (best jazz) Wicked Game, Chris Isaak (best modern) I Have Nothing, Whitney Houston (best Whitney) Everything is Everything, Lauryn Hill (best soul) Now and Forever, Richard Marx (best Marx) In Your Eyes, Peter Gabriel (best 80’s movie theme) And although I hate Limp Bizzzzzzkit (who fucks with George Michael? ish) I love the new theme to M:I2. But only because Freddie Durst doesn’t open his mouth. Sorry, I can’t pick just one!! ---
**Author:** ![PTVroman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bb73d2/32.png) [@PTVroman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PTVroman)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2000, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/22 "2000-05-31T21:38:53Z")
Hmmmm… Best song ever **written**. Not **performed**. And no one has yet mentioned Bob Dylan? Like a Rolling Stone? Or Just Like a Woman? > [@](#): > > The piano has been drinking > my neck tie is asleep > and the combo went back to New York > the juke box has to take a leak > and the carpet needs a haircut > and the spot light looks like a prision break > cause the telephone is out of cigarretes > and the balcony’s on the make > and the piano has been drinking > the piano has been drinking > > and the menus are all freezing > and the lightman’s blind in one eye > and he cant’t see out off the other > and the piano tuner’s got a hearing aide > and showed up with his mother > and the piano has been drinking > the piano has been drinking > > couse the bouncer is a Sumo wrestler > cream puff casper milk toast > and the owner is a mental midget > with I.Q. of a fencepost > cause the piano has been drinking > the piano has been drinking > > and you can’t find your waitress > with a geiger counter > and she hates you and your friends > and you just can’t get served > without her > > and the box office is drooling > and the bar stools are on fire > and the newspapers were fooling > and the ashtrays have retired > and the piano has been drinking > the piano has been drinking > the piano has been drinking > not me, not me, not me, not me, not me. ---
**Author:** ![Barney111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Barney111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barney111)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/23 "2000-06-01T01:36:12Z")
My small and insignificant offerings: “Forever Young”- Bob Dylan “Into the Mystic” - Van Morrison The entire “Graceland” album- Paul Simon “This Land is Your Land” - Woody Guthrie ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/24 "2000-06-01T04:05:58Z")
My vote for the best song ever written is American Pie. Of course this may be somewhat related to the fact that it was playing the first time I … um nevermind its just a great song 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nacho4Sara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Nacho4Sara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nacho4Sara)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/25 "2000-06-01T05:24:00Z")
PTVRoman: > [@](#): > > Hmmmm… Best song ever written. Not performed. And no one has yet mentioned Bob Dylan? Like a Rolling Stone? Or Just Like a Woman? I am **kicking** myself for not listing any Dylan. What was I thinking? “Just Like A Woman” is my favorite Dylan song, tied closely with “Tangled Up In Blue” and “Visions of Johanna.” I don’t know what cam over me. Cut Peter Gabriel from my list and add in those three. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![chief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@chief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chief)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/26 "2000-06-01T07:06:58Z")
I agree with Graeme that GNR - November Rain is one of the best songs of all time (since picking just 1 is impossible) but Estranged might be better in some ways… ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/27 "2000-06-01T12:26:53Z")
My tastes are entirely out of sync with people in general. I’d have to include, in no order… 1. Joe Satriani: Satch Boogie or Flying in a Blue Dream. 2. Yngwie Malmsteen : Any of his classical transcriptions: they guy does Paganini on a guitar, if I’m right. 🙂 3. Iron Maiden: Alexander the Great or Fear of the Dark 4. Nylons - Kiss Him Goodbye. and of course… Alice Cooper: Poison ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/28 "2000-06-01T12:54:23Z")
Fear of the Dark… what a song. May I also nominate the theme tune to Small Wonder. ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/29 "2000-06-01T14:22:19Z")
John Larrigan says: > [@](#): > > \*\* > May I also nominate the theme tune to Small Wonder. > \*\* [sarcasm]Oh, yeah, and I’ll nominate Tiffany Brissette for an Emmy.[/sarcasm] John, you’re a twisted man. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/30 "2000-06-02T00:25:13Z")
“Lazy River” by Hoagy Carmichael ---
**Author:** ![Convict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Convict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Convict)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/31 "2000-06-02T02:44:39Z")
I don’t believe no one has mentioned this song: “Freebird”–Lynyrd Skynyrd ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/32 "2000-06-02T03:53:57Z")
Silent Night. I listen to a wide variety of music and add my votes to many of the songs mentioned. But few things move me like the singing of Silent Night, especially by candlelight or in the snow. ---
**Author:** ![Krispy\_Original](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ec9cab/32.png) [@Krispy\_Original](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krispy_Original)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/33 "2000-06-02T06:58:33Z")
Thick as a Brick Jethro Tull Dueling Banjos Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell Superstition Stevie Wonder Brick House Commodores Do you feel like I do? (live version) Peter Frampton American Woman Guess Who Father and Son Cat Stevens Smooth Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas I Ain’t Mad at Cha Tupak Shakur I heard it through the grapevine CCR He stopped loving her today George Jones King of the road Roger Miller Bohemian Rhapsody Queen ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/34 "2000-06-02T13:38:29Z")
Hank Williams’ I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry. Don’t Cry for Me Argentina from Evita Best Bad Ass Song: You Can Leave Your Hat On. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/35 "2000-06-02T13:39:23Z")
A century of musical history, and 99% of the choices are 1970 or later. Feh! Musicals Lullabye of Broadway by Harry Warren and Al Dubin 42nd Street by Warrent and Dubin Shall We Dance by Rodgers and Hammerstein 76 Trombones by Meredith Willson Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat by Frank Loesser Get Me To the Church on Time by Lerner and Lowe There’s No Business Like Show Business by Irving Berlin You Can’t Get A Man With A Gun by Irving Berlin Hurray for Hollywood by Whiting and Mercer I Get A Kick Out Of You by Cole Porter Brush Up Your Shakespeare by Cole Porter Rock: Rosalita by Bruce Springsteen Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Jim Steinman Classical: Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin 9th Symphony – Beethoven William Tell Overture – Rossini 1812 Overture – Tchakovski (listen to it live with real cannons) Le Boef sur le Toit – Darius Milhaud Blues: Love in Vain – Robert Johnson Is You Is or Is You Ain’t (My Baby)? – Billy Austin and Louis Jordan Ain’t Superstitious – Howlin’ Wolf Statesboro Blues – (Allman Brothers live version, though Alice Stuart did a great acoustic version) ---
**Author:** ![jesuslynch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e99b99/32.png) [@jesuslynch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jesuslynch)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/36 "2000-06-02T14:39:49Z")
Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw - Jimmy Buffett I Got A Little Woman - Led Zepplin Circumstances - Rush ---
**Author:** ![Zion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b5e925/32.png) [@Zion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zion)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/37 "2000-06-02T17:58:09Z")
RealityChuck has the idea. why is it that whenever these discussions come up, everyone lists songs that are less than 50 years old? Whatever happened to the GREAT music of the 1700’s-1950’s? My choice? There are WAY too mnay to chose from, but “Amazing Grace” would be in my top ten. ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/38 "2000-06-02T18:33:11Z")
> [@](#): > > A century of musical history, and 99% of the choices are 1970 or later. Feh! A century? Pfft. We must travel back at least few millenium to the first real rock band, Ug and Loincloths, who pioneered the use of the first real rocks. Their songs: “Bang!” the follow up, “Bang! Bang!” and the final work “Ugh! Bang-ity Bang!” are the finest pieces of music ever simply because they were the first. All succeeding artists are mere imitators, pretenders, and hacks. ---
**Author:** ![Sassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/39 "2000-06-02T18:45:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Thick as a Brick Jethro Tull > > Dueling Banjos Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell > > Superstition Stevie Wonder > > Brick House Commodores > > Do you feel like I do? (live version) Peter Frampton > > American Woman Guess Who > > Father and Son Cat Stevens > > Smooth Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas > > I heard it through the grapevine CCR > > He stopped loving her today George Jones > > King of the road Roger Miller > > Bohemian Rhapsody Queen > > \*\* Kripsy, it’s a good thing you are married, or I would have to track you down - you are my musical soul-mate! ---
**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932/40 "2000-06-02T22:37:58Z")
Am I the only person who thinks “Stairway to Heaven” really sucks? I wouldn’t put it on my life of top 30 Zeppelin songs, but everyone I know thinks it rocks. I thought it was terrible the first time I heard it, even before I heard all the hype about it. Could somebody please explain to me the appeal of that song? Led Zep has so many other slower songs that are just much better (Going to California, Since I’d Been Loving You, Hats off to (Roy) Harper, Tangerine), not to mention rockin’ sings that are better. What’s the appeal of Stairway? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-of-all-time/20932.md?page=3)