# Exceptionally Powerful Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 28, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760 "2007-09-28T01:28:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/21 "2007-09-28T17:35:41Z")
_The Drinking Song_ by Moxy Früvous. It’s about two best friends who get drunk every chance they get and just enjoy the whole hell out of life. Until one of them collapses (from alcohol poisoning, I assume), and the other is too drunk even to fetch help until it’s too late. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/22 "2007-09-28T17:46:09Z")
Man, I can’t believe I didn’t say Cat’s in the Cradle, even after the earlier Chapin discussion. It’s a good song, I suppose, but there is no level on which I could say I enjoy it. There may be a cheese factor, but to me, that is a seriously frightening and tragic song. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/23 "2007-09-28T17:52:52Z")
As far as songs to play really loud and be overwhelmed by, “Goodnight Saigon” by Billy Joel. “Badlands” by Bruce Springsteen to me is about shouting about how crappy things are and I like to blast that one. It feels like it comes from the pit of his stomach. “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” by Marianne Faithfull and “Lies” by Stan Rogers are both very emotional for me, but they don’t have to be experienced at full blast. ---
**Author:** ![Barrett\_Bonden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@Barrett\_Bonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrett_Bonden)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/24 "2007-09-28T18:33:06Z")
“Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/25 "2007-09-28T19:24:23Z")
Gottingen (french) by Barbara (Monique Serf). The singer is a Holocaust survivor who in the song compares Paris with the German city of Gottingen, treasuring the latter as much as the former, and despairing at the thought of anything bad happening to Gottingen. A beautiful, beautiful song, even if you don’t understand the words. ---
**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:** [September 28, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/26 "2007-09-28T19:42:01Z")
Leonard Cohen’s “Bird on the Wire” Kinky Friedman’s “Ride Em Jewboy.” The best Holocaust song ever written by a Texas Jewboy, or anyone else for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/27 "2007-09-28T20:03:03Z")
Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” is a remarkably sad song, and magnificently arranged and performed to make the words as poignant and tragic as possible. Its story - about a poverty-born war veteran, hopeless and abandoned by his country - just becomes more and more relevant every year. Of course, it’s been misused as a purely patriotic song. Which, really, has become part of what makes it so brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/28 "2007-09-28T20:45:59Z")
“The Host of Seraphim” by “Dead Can Dance” is a very powerful piece. Here’s a [clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-A2k9NqywQ) where it was used in the film “Baraka”. Immerse yourself in it without watching the clip, and then run it again while watching the clip. [“Baraka”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baraka_%28film%29) is a very powerful film in and of itself. ---
**Author:** ![Flipshod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f19dbf/32.png) [@Flipshod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flipshod)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/29 "2007-09-28T21:03:53Z")
“Heaven on Their Minds” and “Judas’ Death” from Jesus Christ Superstar–the original London cast with Murray Head as Judas Beethoven’s 5th Symphony ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/30 "2007-09-28T21:24:56Z")
Powerful songs? _More Than Words_ by Extreme has the power to get you into the pants of any woman who was watching MTV in 1991. As long as you’ve got a good voice, and can play an easy song on acoustic guitar. Kind of funny, considering the lyrics basically say, “Please shut up so we can screw.” ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/31 "2007-09-28T23:23:17Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Leonard Cohen’s “Bird on the Wire” Kinky Friedman’s “Ride Em Jewboy.” The best Holocaust song ever written by a Texas Jewboy, or anyone else for that matter. [/QUOTE] Kinky also sings a song about Charles Whitman (the Sniper in the OP), but it’s not in any sense a deep one. He has a flip and snarky side. I’m away from my song lists and might get the titles wrong, but “Nashville Casualty” and “Sold American” are other Kinky Friedman songs that pull on the heart strings. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2007, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/32 "2007-09-29T00:14:55Z")
Casimir Pulaski Day - Sufjan Stevens Fall Of Troy - Tom Waits, especially a live version of this. Brick - Ben Folds Five ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2007, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/33 "2007-09-29T01:00:27Z")
I’m sure it’ll come as a huge surprise that I’m going to mention Alice Cooper ( 😉 ), but as someone whose had more than her share of mental afflictions, **The Ballad of Dwight Fry** [**e**] is chilling for anyone. However, if you’ve been on that side of the coin, it’s especially so. And incidentally, very true feeling. \*See my lonely life unfold I see it everyday See my lonely mind explode when I’ve gone insane I wanna get out of here I wanna, I wanna get out of here I gotta get out of here I gotta get out of here IgottagetoutahereIgottagetoutahereIgottagetoutahere Ya gotta let me out of here Let me outta here I gotta get outta here Let me outta here I gotta get outta here Let me outta here I gotta get outta here\* ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/34 "2007-09-29T01:56:42Z")
One of the all time tops is: Amazing Grace sung by everyone from Elvis local choirs. It has some serious emotional power. I would also nominate: Hallelujah by Rufus Wainwright and appeared in movies such as Shrek. For rock, I will nominate: Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N Roses. It has a heavy metal song coupled with perfectly innocent themes. That is why it still gets constant airplay 20 years after it was released and most metal was cast aside. ---
**Author:** ![Millit\_the\_Frail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Millit\_the\_Frail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Millit_the_Frail)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2007, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/35 "2007-09-29T04:48:38Z")
[QUOTE=An Gadaí] Casimir Pulaski Day - Sufjan Stevens Fall Of Troy - Tom Waits, especially a live version of this. Brick - Ben Folds Five [/QUOTE] Sufjan Stevens has a few. Personally, I find _Chicago_ to be exceptionally powerful. Mainly because the song follows my life a bit. I moved to Chicago, then to New York. And there were lots of hard times and mistakes. It’s very hard for me to listen to it without being overcome with emotion. (Funny, I’m in Chicago for the weekend, staring out my hotel window at the Hancock Tower. I really miss living here. I think I should play the song right now…) ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2007, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/36 "2007-09-29T07:12:33Z")
Please don’t think I’m trying to rain on the parade here. This song can be considered a major downer by some, but I did not quite see it that way. So yeah, it may be juvenile, but one song I thought was exceptionally powerful was one by Peggy Lee called [“If That’s All There Is”.](http://search.able2know.com/About/5089.html) [quote=] SPOKEN: I know what you must be saying to yourselves, if that’s the way she feels about it why doesn’t she just end it all? Oh, no, not me. I’m in no hurry for that final disappointment, for I know just as well as I’m standing here talking to you, when that final moment comes and I’m breathing my lst breath, I’ll be saying to myself SUNG: Is that all there is, is that all there is If that’s all there is my friends, then let’s keep dancing Let’s break out the booze and have a ball If that’s all there is [/quote] ---
**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:** [September 29, 2007, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/37 "2007-09-29T12:32:42Z")
[QUOTE=Yllaria] Kinky also sings a song about Charles Whitman (the Sniper in the OP), but it’s not in any sense a deep one. He has a flip and snarky side. I’m away from my song lists and might get the titles wrong, but “Nashville Casualty” and “Sold American” are other Kinky Friedman songs that pull on the heart strings. [/QUOTE] Kinky went to school with old Charlie. Another powerful one is “They Ain’t Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore” if you actually listen to it and realize what it is about. “We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to You,” ditto. One of Kinky’s many talents is his ability to combine snarky and powerful in one breath. ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2007, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/38 "2007-09-29T13:10:33Z")
America the Beautiful by Ray Charles ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Ryle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2007, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/39 "2007-09-29T13:40:39Z")
[QUOTE=LiveOnAPlane] So yeah, it may be juvenile, but one song I thought was exceptionally powerful was one by Peggy Lee called [“Is That’s All There Is”](http://search.able2know.com/About/5089.html). [/QUOTE] It is a powerful song. It’s unique in being a mostly spoken-word song. All four of the verses are spoken, and, as I recall, one of the choruses. Peggy Lee (1920-2002) provides the appropriate world-weary voice and delivery. She recorded it in her late 40’s, and the song benefits from that. It was written by Mike Stoller and Jerry Lieber. Some other Lieber-Stoller songs: _Jailhouse Rock, Hound Dog, On Broadway, Under The Boardwalk, Searchin’, Kansas City_. Also, a favorite of mine, _Stand By Me_. Ben E. King had the original hit with that in the 60’s and John Lennon covered it. The inspiration for _Is That All There Is?_ may have been Thomas Mann’s 1896 short story “Disillusionment,” written when he was 20. The house fire in verse one is their common element, but also the overall mood, the questioning of the value of life. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/40 "2007-09-29T16:01:01Z")
Two gripping songs; Hey Lady - we’ve all seen the lady/guy who wallops the children in the checkout line and thought of doing something, seeing the fear/hardness developing and starting the cycle of violence. That Could of been Me is next. The small chances/choices in life that could make you a sucess or homeless. Great thoughts, worth finding and hearing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760.md?page=3)