# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Captain\_Blunty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Captain\_Blunty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Blunty)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/21 "2003-10-23T04:02:17Z")
“Pie Jesu”(sp?) as sung by Charlotte Church. Her voice makes me cry. “A Love before Time” from the soundtrack of ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.’ I think it’s sung by Coco Lee. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/22 "2003-10-23T09:58:31Z")
Hmmmm… Goodbye Blue Sky - Pink FLoyd Some Velvet Morning - Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazelwood ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/23 "2003-10-23T10:31:57Z")
“The Promise” by Tracy Chapman. “She Walks through the Fair” - old Irish folk song. “I know you by heart” - not sure who wrote it, but as sung by Eva Cassidy. “Time in a bottle” - can’t remember who this is by, but it sure is purty. ---
**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, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/24 "2003-10-23T12:01:35Z")
“Time in a Bottle” is Jim Croce – the first time I ever heard it was on “The Muppet Show.” ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/25 "2003-10-23T12:04:19Z")
The version of “Time in a Bottle” that I’m familiar with was recorded by Jim Croce; not sure who the author is. How about the very end of “Appalachian Spring” by Copeland? ---
**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:** [October 23, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/26 "2003-10-23T12:21:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Captain Blunty \* > \*\*“Pie Jesu”(sp?) as sung by Charlotte Church. Her voice makes me cry. > > \*\* And written by Andrew Lloyd Webber. I’d go with \*\* The Greatest Discovery \*\* by Elton John & Bernice Taupin. Not only pretty, but an unusual subject. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/27 "2003-10-23T12:31:48Z")
“Beautiful” by Gordon Lightfoot ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/28 "2003-10-23T12:40:01Z")
“For Emily Wherever I may find her” (or is it whenever?) by Simon and Garfunkel “Beautiful Girl” by INXS ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/29 "2003-10-23T13:05:54Z")
“It Might as well be Spring” I’m as restless as a willow in a windstorm… Such beautiful lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/30 "2003-10-23T14:10:14Z")
Jennyrosity said, ““The Promise” by Tracy Chapman.” God, I just love that song. I cry every time I hear it. My personal favorite is the theme from The Deer Hunter. I can’t remember the name, but its mostly just a beautiful guitar and it’s just the best thing ever. Does anyone know the name? Artist? ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/31 "2003-10-23T14:52:05Z")
I’ll go old school and say “Ave Maria”. God that song is gorgeous. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/32 "2003-10-23T17:29:00Z")
_Spiegel im Spiegel_, Arvo Part _At Your Most Beautiful_, R.E.M. _After All_, Dar Williams _Drowned World/Substitute For Love_, Madonna _We Can WOrk It Out_, Anthony Head ft. Amber Benson ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/33 "2003-10-23T17:47:00Z")
Whenever I think “pretty” song, _ **Since You Asked** _, from the [Twin Sons of Different Mothers](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000025D4/qid=1066929610/sr=1-25/ref=sr_1_25/002-1707857-2439251?v=glance&s=music) album by Dan Fogelberg and Tim Weisberg, is what always immediately pops into my head. As for a “pretty” Rock song, I’ll cast my vote for _ **From The Beginning** _ by Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Greg Lake’s voice could make me melt right into my chair – [listen to a clip here](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000033YB/qid=1066930369/sr=1-13/ref=sr_1_13/002-1707857-2439251?v=glance&s=music). Then of course there’s _ **Nights in White Satin** _ by The Moody Blues. And I’ll add my vote for Nat King Cole’s _ **Nature Boy** _, too. I can’t hear that song without wanting to cry. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/34 "2003-10-23T17:56:15Z")
You all have picked some good ones so far but surprisingly missed #1. The prettiest song is “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/35 "2003-10-23T17:56:52Z")
I like Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, but especially I when use the tune to sing about my late cat Mickey: “Mommy loves Mickey, she’s not at all icky…” I used it as my processional when I got married and that was before I even had Mickey. ---
**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 23, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/36 "2003-10-23T18:18:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shagnasty \* > \*\*You all have picked some good ones so far but surprisingly missed #1. The prettiest song is “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. \*\* Sorry. CORRECTION: “What a Wonderful World” by Victoria Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/37 "2003-10-23T18:40:59Z")
Berlioz’s Requiem. (it has singing!) Modern era: Time, by Pink Floyd. A lot of the “pretty” female background singing is dissonant, but it’s all made up for in the subtle background singing on the end of the second to last musical interlude (the one before “and you run to try to catch up to the sun but it’s sinking”) ---
**Author:** ![Lizochka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Lizochka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizochka)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/38 "2003-10-23T18:44:34Z")
“Shape of My Heart” - Sting “Romeo & Juliet” - Dire Stratis “Hallelujah” - Leonard Cohen, but sung by Jeff Buckley “Where Did I Go Wrong with You” - Martin Sexton ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/39 "2003-10-23T19:29:35Z")
“Kathy’s Song,” by Simon and Garfunkel ---
**Author:** ![rexnervous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/40 "2003-10-23T19:44:06Z")
Sorry, you’re all wrong. The single prettiest song ever is a Brazilian song called **Aquarela** , by _Toquinho & Vinicius_. Good luck finding this on CD or .mpg, but once you hear it (even if you don’t understand the Portuguese) you’ll be hard pressed to disagree. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949.md?page=3)