# Is there any SONG that we ALL would agree is good (if not great)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 7, 2026, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427 "2026-01-07T11:53:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**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:** [January 10, 2026, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/161 "2026-01-10T03:10:40Z")
1812 Overture, full orchestra and chorus; live cannon fire; bells; _Lone Ranger optional on white palomino - “Hi-Yo Silver, Away.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/162 "2026-01-10T05:51:08Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Any time I hear “The Girl from Ipanema,” I think of the scene in _The Blues Brothers_ Yep. The Cheesiest Version in the World! So perfect for that scene. 😆 I nominate _Starship Trooper._ And I don’t care who don’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/163 "2026-01-10T06:05:27Z")
After noting many of the candidates were banal mainstream fodder, schlockly ballads,and god knows what else, I lost interest. So I’m going to say no. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/164 "2026-01-10T06:15:35Z")
“Feels Like The First Time” is orders of magnitude better than “Cold As Ice.” MHO, of course. I would also nominate “Western Union” by the Five Americans, and if anyone here remembers Billy Thorpe’s “Children Of The Sun”, which peaked at #41 in the U.S., add that to the list. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/165 "2026-01-10T06:22:24Z")
> [@Cugel](#): > > After noting many of the candidates were banal mainstream fodder Because obviously the place to search for universal agreement is in the experimental fringes… ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/166 "2026-01-10T07:08:20Z")
Here are a few others that came to mind: Blues Image, “Ride Captain Ride” Guess Who, “Undun” Three Dog Night, “Shambala” Grand Funk Railroad, “The Loco-Motion” Trivia: Grand Funk’s singer, Mark Farner, and Blues Image’s singer, Mike Pinera, who died within the past year or so, were born on the same day. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/167 "2026-01-10T10:56:08Z")
I don’t like it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/168 "2026-01-10T12:14:27Z")
Not to mention a very science-fictiony one by Bear McReary: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xfaTEGGtVf8/maxresdefault.jpg "All Along the Watchtower") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfaTEGGtVf8) ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/169 "2026-01-10T13:01:28Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Grand Funk Railroad, “The Loco-Motion” **Ahem.** _I’m Your Captain/Closer to Home_. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/170 "2026-01-10T13:11:53Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > _I’m Your Captain/Closer to Home_. Last time I heard that song, I walked away in the middle. That was about a year ago. I presume the singer is still droning “I’m getting closer to my home” over and over again. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/171 "2026-01-10T13:28:58Z")
A couple more songs with great earworm potential: Lipps, Inc. – Funky Town Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love ---
**Author:** ![De\_La\_Rue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/172 "2026-01-10T15:40:32Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > 1812 Overture, full orchestra and chorus; live cannon fire; bells; _Lone Ranger optional on white palomino - “Hi-Yo Silver, Away.”_ Which overture are you thinking of? The _William Tell_ overture is the one associated with the Lone Ranger. Also, I vote against “Lean on Me”. ---
**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:** [January 10, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/173 "2026-01-10T16:44:40Z")
> [@De\_La\_Rue](#): > > The _William Tell_ overture is the one associated with the Lone Ranger. For me, the _William Tell_ overture is associated with A Clockwork Orange. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/174 "2026-01-10T16:56:42Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > > [@John\_DiFool](#): > > > > _I’m Your Captain/Closer to Home_. > > Last time I heard that song, I walked away in the middle. That was about a year ago. I presume the singer is still droning “I’m getting closer to my home” over and over again. Again, same planet different universes, as I find those five minutes one of the most enrapturing and powerful sections/movements in any song, ever. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/175 "2026-01-10T16:59:08Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Grand Funk Railroad, “The Loco-Motion” Lot’s of good songs in this thread. However, I’ll strongly dissent on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/176 "2026-01-10T17:17:30Z")
> [@ZonexandScout](#): > > I think this question is a lot more complex than the similar question about movies. I suspect that many people “judge” popular songs by the circumstances in their lives they associate with the song. There are quite a few songs I like just because I associate them with a particular time in my life. I don’t really think Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice, Baby” is a great song, but every time I hear it I’m reminded of my freshman year in high school, so I kind of like it. Is it a good song? Eh, it’s memorable. ---
**Author:** ![Larsedik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larsedik/32/19832_2.png) [@Larsedik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larsedik)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/177 "2026-01-10T17:20:19Z")
I also do not like _Suzanne_. ---
**Author:** ![Larsedik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larsedik/32/19832_2.png) [@Larsedik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larsedik)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/178 "2026-01-10T17:21:42Z")
It was also featured in the movie _Zachariah_, which is one of my favorite movies - written by The Firesign Theater. ---
**Author:** ![Larsedik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larsedik/32/19832_2.png) [@Larsedik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larsedik)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/179 "2026-01-10T17:25:35Z")
They still play _The Girl from Ipanema_ a lot in Ipanema. I heard it several times when I was in Rio de Janeiro in 2017. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427/180 "2026-01-10T17:26:00Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > > [@Cugel](#): > > > > After noting many of the candidates were banal mainstream fodder > > Because obviously the place to search for universal agreement is in the experimental fringes… Hehe, this one did pretty well for itself in the UK. But yeah, probably not for everyone, even if I find it beautiful. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vkfpi2H8tOE/hqdefault.jpg "Laurie Anderson - O Superman (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkfpi2H8tOE) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vkfpi2H8tOE/hqdefault.jpg "Laurie Anderson - O Superman (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkfpi2H8tOE) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-song-that-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026427.md?page=10)