I have to admire a songwriter who can write a great song that lasts less than 2 1/2 minutes. No long opening or fadeaway ending – these songs get cranking from the get-go. Here are the songs on my I-Tunes playlist that clock in at under 2:30. Feel free to add some more.
At the Zoo - Simon and Garfunkel (2:25)
Don’t bother Me - The Beatles (2:29)
Dreaming of You - The Coral (2:21)
Everyday People - Sly and the Family Stone (2:19)
Hazy Shade of Winter - Simon and Garfunkel (2:22)
I Fought the Law - Bobby Fuller Four (2:18)
I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones (2:29)
Marie’s the Name - Elvis Presley (2:08)
Question - Old 97s (2:17)
Red Rubber Ball - The Cyrkle (2:17)
Runaway - Del Shannon (2:22)
She’d Rather Be With Me - The Turtles (2:22)
Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan (2:22)
We Ain’t Got Nothing Yet - The Blues Magoos (2:19)
Wear Your Love Like Heaven - Donovan (2:25)
It is not surprising that most of these songs are from the 1960s. They seemed to write much tighter songs back in the day.
Well, Led Zeppelin’s “Communication Breakdown” clocks in at exactly 2:30; “Immigrant Song” is 2:25.
Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Love Struck Baby” (2:24) and “Scuttlebuttin’” (1:52) certainly qualify as “cranking from the get-go”.
The Doors’ original hit “Break On Through” comes in at 2:29, strengthening the OP’s case for the classics (and “Hello, I Love You” is only 2:16, though I’m not sure it “cranks”).
But I really wanted to mention a more recent case - Aussie rockers Jet have a couple from their debut that are great short tracks: “Last Chance” (1:52) and “Take It Or Leave It” (2:23), which are from 2003.
To correct myself, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door is apparently listed at 2:32. And it has a fairly long intro. You can get away with that when your song only has two verses.
Frank Zappa: “Evelyn, A Modified Dog” (1:05) Jethro Tull: Cheap Day Return" (1:23) Mothers of Invention: “Oh No” (1:46) Mothers of Invention: “Electric Aunt Jemima” (1:46) Elvis Costello: “Beaten to the Punch” (1:49) David Bowie: “Breaking Glass” (1:53) The Coasters: “Yakety Yak” (1:53) Roy Harper: “Feeling All the Saturday” (1:56) Charlie Rich: “Mohair Sam” (2:08) Creedence Clearwater Revival: “Travellin’ Band” (2:09) Richard Thompson: “The New St. George” (2:10) Marci Lee & Johnny Otis: “Castin’ My Spell” (2:12) Jethro Tull: “Bad-Eyed and Loveless” (2:13) The Beatles: “Lady Madonna” (2:18) Creedence Clearwater Revival: “Fortunate Son” (2:20) The Coasters: “Charlie Brown” (2:22) Rolling Stones: “Rip This Joint” (2:23) Sonny Boy Williamson: “Fattening Frogs for Snakes” (2:23) Jimi Hendrix: “Crosstown Traffic” (2:26) The Clash: “I’m So Bored with the USA” (2:27) Funkadelic: “Get Off Your Ass and Jam” (2:27) Howlin’ Wolf: “Wang Dang Doodle” (2:28)
The shortest thing on my iPod that’s a real song is The Who: “Miracle Cure” (0:13).
Wire’s “Field Day For The Sundays” feels like a fully developed song, despite its 28-second running time. All but four of the 21 songs from Pink Flag fit this criterion.
