# Prettiest Song Ever
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 22, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948 "2003-10-22T18:39:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [October 22, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/1 "2003-10-22T18:39:17Z")
I’ve given this a great deal of thought, and I’m not sure why I’m bothering to start a thread on this, since the answer is unarguable, but:
The prettiest song ever is “Ripple” by the Grateful Dead (off _American Beauty_).
Glad to enlighten you.
---
### Author:  [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)
#### Post date: [October 22, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/2 "2003-10-22T21:50:14Z")
No, the prettiest song ever is “Life In A Glass House” by Radiohead.
Or “No Surprises”, by the same.
---
### Author:  [@Pastor\_of\_Muppets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pastor_of_Muppets)
#### Post date: [October 22, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/3 "2003-10-22T22:04:32Z")
Or, very possibly _True Love Waits_ also by Radiohead.
On second thought, what about _Perfect Day_ by Lou Reed. That may just be influenced by its appearance in \*Trainspotting[/] which is where I first heard it, and which beautiful overdose scene (oxymoron?) it colors being inseperable from that song in my mind.
Also _Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space_ by Spiritualized. Or _Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain_ as performed by Willie Nelson. Or, or,or, screw it. I’ll shut up now.
---
### Author:  [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)
#### Post date: [October 22, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/4 "2003-10-22T22:14:15Z")
The Beatles, _Julia_
Julie Andrews, _Whistling Away the Dark_
The Beach Boys, _In My Room_
Roberta Flack, _The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face)_
Simon and Garfunkel, _Scarborough Fair/Canticle_
Gavin Bryars, _Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet_
---
### Author:  [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)
#### Post date: [October 22, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/5 "2003-10-22T23:00:45Z")
My nominees:
Tori Amos, “Winter”
The Beatles, “In My Life”
Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road”
U2, “All I Want Is You”
---
### Author:  [@Stover9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stover9)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/6 "2003-10-23T00:27:11Z")
“Fog” (aka Alligators in New York Sewers) is my favorite “pretty” song.
---
### Author:  [@Stover9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stover9)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/7 "2003-10-23T00:28:27Z")
Or “Scatterbrain”
---
### Author:  [@HDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HDS)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/8 "2003-10-23T00:54:33Z")
“Your Song” by Elton John. I loved how they used it in Moulin Rouge.
Definitely Scarborough Faire/Canticle and also Sound of Silence and The Boxer.
Also most everything by Loreena McKennet.
---
### Author:  [@Ludo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludo)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/9 "2003-10-23T01:10:44Z")
Blue, by Joni Mitchell
---
### Author:  [@somethingblue2u](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somethingblue2u)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/10 "2003-10-23T01:19:15Z")
My top three:
Yes, Anastasia ~ Tori Amos
Fade into you ~ Mazy Star
Kissing you ~ Des’ree (romeo + Juliet soundtrack)
---
### Author:  [@Kurt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kurt)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/11 "2003-10-23T01:20:15Z")
“Crayon”, from Manitoba’s amazing album from earlier in the year _Up In Flames_. Other contenders would have to include Boards of Canada’s “Turquoise Hexagon Sun” and “avril 14th” by Aphex Twin.
---
### Author:  [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/12 "2003-10-23T02:12:05Z")
My vote is for “You are the Everything” by R.E.M. That song singlehandedly (sp?) made me fall in love with the Michael Stipe of that era…not the "hey look at me with my famous friends"thing he became.
I also love “The Long and Winding Road” by the Beatles. I know practically everyone hated the Spector production on that song but, I thought it complimented the beautiful writing perfectly.
---
### Author:  [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/13 "2003-10-23T03:41:41Z")
The Flower Duet, from _Lakme_ by Delibes.
---
### Author:  [@Headcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headcoat)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/14 "2003-10-23T04:34:20Z")
“I’m Not A Man You Meet Everyday” and “Sunnyside of the Street” both by the Pogues.
---
### Author:  [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/15 "2003-10-23T04:45:27Z")
Andrwe Bird’s Bowl of Fire, _Wait_.
---
### Author:  [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/16 "2003-10-23T04:49:08Z")
Wow, six words and I misspelled 16% of them. That’s “Andrew,” of course.
---
### Author:  [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/17 "2003-10-23T05:36:05Z")
_Beautiful Things_ by Andain
_Bad_ by U2
_Fear_ by Sarah McLachlan the (Hybrid’s Super Collider Mix)
_Liberation_ by Matt Darey Presents Mash Up
---
### Author:  [@Granuaile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Granuaile)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/18 "2003-10-23T07:13:17Z")
_Panis Angelicus_
---
### Author:  [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2003, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208948/19 "2003-10-23T07:18:41Z")
“Sweet Thursday” by Pizzicato Five
or “Rainy Night in Soho” by the Pogues
or “Sweet Thing” by Van Morrison