# Prettiest Song Ever **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 22, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949 "2003-10-22T18:46:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/1 "2003-10-22T18:46:30Z")
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:** ![electric\_sheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@electric\_sheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/electric_sheep)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/2 "2003-10-22T19:40:21Z")
Faust - It’s a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl The perfect track for a mildly depressive guy in love with a girl. It always brings a smile to my face. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/3 "2003-10-22T19:45:08Z")
Shouldn’t that be the “pwettiest” song ever? Anyway, my vote goes to “Caravan of Dreams” by [Acoustic Alchemy](http://www.acoustic-alchemy.net/). ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/4 "2003-10-22T20:15:41Z")
The correct answer is: “The Man with the Child in His Eyes” by Kate Bush. Second place goes to “Slow Tango,” by Jane Siberry. Third place is “Lilac Wine,” as covered by Jeff Buckley. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/5 "2003-10-22T20:21:36Z")
“Danny Boy.” And I’m not even Irish! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/6 "2003-10-22T20:25:36Z")
Damn, **Eve** , I was expecting you to come in with something by Cole Porter – like “After You, Who,” perhaps. Another illusion shattered. ---
**Author:** ![criminalcatalog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/7 "2003-10-22T20:29:45Z")
Some candidates, speaking for the electronic world: “How to Feed a Sea Monkey”, **Land of the Loops** “Parallel Stripes”, **Aphex Twin** “Corsair”, **Boards of Canada** “Plateau”, **The Orb** “Rachel’s Song”, **Vangelis** …my idea of beautiful anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/8 "2003-10-22T20:34:59Z")
“Wildwood Flower” ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/9 "2003-10-22T20:38:50Z")
“Quand Vous Mourez de Nos Amours,” as sung by Rufus Wainwright Failing that, “Complainte de la Butte” To die for ---
**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:** [October 22, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/10 "2003-10-22T20:42:36Z")
“Stupid Mouth Shut” by Hem * * * She told me she loved me like a brother. She was from Arkansas, hence the Joy! ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/11 "2003-10-22T20:59:39Z")
My immediate thought: “Here Comes the Sun,” George Harrison. Prettiest music overall: Anything sung by Karan Casey. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/12 "2003-10-22T21:38:21Z")
It’s a tie between “Windy and Warm” by Doc & Merle Watson and “The Lady and the Unicorn” by John Renbourn. Surely, **twicks** , there must be a scratch on your antique American Beauty LP. How else can you explain neglecting “Box of Rain” in favor of “Ripple?” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/13 "2003-10-22T23:46:14Z")
I’m voting for: Unforgetable and Nature Boy Both as recorded by Nat King Cole ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/14 "2003-10-22T23:53:05Z")
I’m voting for a good version of Debussy’s Claire De Lune played on the piano. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/15 "2003-10-23T00:19:50Z")
“Here Comes the Sun” – definitely a contender John Renbourn – love that album, but prefer “Johnny Was a Carpenter” ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/16 "2003-10-23T01:21:14Z")
“Somewhere over the Rainbow” as done by Eva Cassidy. ---
**Author:** ![A\_wizard\_song\_for\_thee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@A\_wizard\_song\_for\_thee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_wizard_song_for_thee)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/17 "2003-10-23T01:22:47Z")
Anything Ella Fitzgerald ever put her vocal cords to. Or, possibly, “Bonny Portmore,” an old Irish ditty, but it’s kind of sad and pretty, while at the same time being pretty sad. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/18 "2003-10-23T01:47:25Z")
Katie Sings, by the Minstrels of Mayhem. Just perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Skwerl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Skwerl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skwerl)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/19 "2003-10-23T02:15:13Z")
“Consequence” by the Notwist, and lots of stuff by Sigur Ros. Also “Fresh Feeling” by the Eels. ---
**Author:** ![Kurt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kurt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kurt)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/20 "2003-10-23T02:33:41Z")
How about Múm’s “Green Grass of Tunnel”? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949.md?page=2)