# If you could perform one song perfectly in front of an audience ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 8, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075 "2010-09-08T17:32:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/1 "2010-09-08T17:32:29Z")
… what song would that be? Lets pretend all your performance anxiety and lack of musical talent just withers away. You now have the ability to perform one song (and play any instrument for that song) flawlessly. There is an audience of 100,000+ people waiting for you who are all die hard fans of whatever song you happen to chose. What song would you pick? My choice would be [Born to Run](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxuThNgl3YA). If god wrote a rock song meant for the stage it would sound exactly like that. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/2 "2010-09-08T17:48:15Z")
It would have to be everything that made this work for Frank, with me as Frank: [Frank Sinatra - I’ve Got You Under My Skin](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4utbTfbCaRE) and that just never could happen, but damn if it could! ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/3 "2010-09-08T17:51:51Z")
Interesting question. I reserve the right to change my mind, but the first song I thought of was: **Twist and Shout.** mmm ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/4 "2010-09-08T17:53:04Z")
The Queen of the Night aria from _Magic Flute_. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/5 "2010-09-08T17:53:58Z")
\*Heroes. \* No idea why. ---
**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 8, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/6 "2010-09-08T17:54:53Z")
Bohemian Rhapsody as a solo ---
**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:** [September 8, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/7 "2010-09-08T18:19:07Z")
**Teen Angel.** I have, and I killed. ---
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/8 "2010-09-08T18:47:21Z")
Tough choice. Either \*Who wants to live forever \*or \*The show must go on \*(both by Queen). ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/9 "2010-09-08T19:15:38Z")
Son of a Preacher Man! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/10 "2010-09-08T19:27:59Z")
- A Marvin Gaye authentic/soulful rendition of _Heard it Through the Grapevine_. - A Chris Cornell-killing version of, I dunno, pretty much anything 😉 I sing in a rock band - it is really, really fun to work an audience up into a lather while delivering quality product. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/11 "2010-09-08T19:38:11Z")
Cheerfully ignoring the restrictions in the OP, I choose to perform one role…either Jesus or Judas, in _Jesus Christ Superstar._ ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/12 "2010-09-08T19:54:38Z")
John Cage’s [4’33’’](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4_33) No, really. From the OP: > [@Lakai](#): > > There is an audience of 100,000+ people waiting for you who are all die hard fans of whatever song you happen to chose. A hundred thousand people who are keyed up to tune into the music that stems from an absence of instruments. Not the incidental pauses between pieces but focused silence and attention to sound that inescapably escapes into the room. Not a smattering of folks who read the wiki article and have to put up with otherwise bored folks making noise or conversing nonetheless, but a hundred thousand folks who are die hard fans of the concept. A hundred thousand _participants_. Being at the epicenter of that would be mind-blowing. ---
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/13 "2010-09-08T20:00:50Z")
> [@Stauderhorse](#): > > Tough choice. Either \*Who wants to live forever \*or \*The show must go on \*(both by Queen). I think you’re on to something here. The song I always fantasize about just \*killing \*at a karaoke bar is _Somebody To Love_. Though the OP’s choice is also a great one. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/14 "2010-09-08T20:13:32Z")
Nessun Dorma. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/15 "2010-09-08T20:26:18Z")
If I had a second shot, it would be to do both guitar parts (Duane’s and Dickey’s) to _Stormy Monday_ on the Fillmore East album. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/16 "2010-09-08T20:28:00Z")
“I, Don Quixote” from _Man of La Mancha_ “Hear me now, oh thou bleak and unbearable world - thou art base and debauched as can be! But now comes a knight, banner bravely unfurled, and hurls down his gauntlet to thee!” I never quite seem to remember that this song is meant ironically. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/17 "2010-09-08T20:34:56Z")
Free Bird!! So I could shut up the drunk asshole at the bar. ETA: Okay so I re-read the OP and apparently we’re not at a bar. Still, Free Bird would be a sick song to play flawlessly. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/18 "2010-09-08T20:36:08Z")
[Sultans of Swing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2nQZPC2uTs) (the guitar work on that song just leaves me speechless) ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/19 "2010-09-08T21:09:42Z")
“Life By The Drop”. Probably because I just wish I could sound like I have that much soul. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075/20 "2010-09-08T21:11:45Z")
La Vie en Rose [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-perform-one-song-perfectly-in-front-of-an-audience/553075.md?page=2)