# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/81 "2003-10-27T00:56:33Z")
It isn’t really a song, per se (instrumental), but Faith No More’s version of the theme from Midnight Cowboy is simply gorgeous. ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/82 "2003-10-27T01:11:25Z")
I think I’ll second Sigmundex and say that Lovefool by Cardigans is really pretty. Also in league with it are: Where the wild roses grow - by Nick Cave Perfect Day - by Lou Reed ---
**Author:** ![Iacob\_Matthew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Iacob\_Matthew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iacob_Matthew)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/83 "2003-10-27T01:46:15Z")
Having only heard _Nightswimming_ more than once of all the songs listed above, I feel unqualified to answer, but… _Under the Bridge_, by Red Hot Chili Peppers. The one most people call _City of Angels_. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/84 "2003-10-27T01:50:54Z")
So many of my faves have already been named, but I’ll add _Fields of Gold_ by Sting and _The Weakness In Me_ by Joan Armitrading. ---
**Author:** ![CloudCar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@CloudCar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CloudCar)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/85 "2003-10-27T03:07:24Z")
_Verdi Cries_ by 10,000 Maniacs makes me weep. _King of May_ by Natalie Merchant is gloriously beautiful. _Moonlight Sonata_ Beethoven ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/86 "2003-10-27T03:22:17Z")
“Dear Mr. Jesus” by “The Power Station,” featuring Sharon Batts on lead vocals. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/87 "2003-10-27T12:39:56Z")
Jeez, I thought the **band** at least would be mentioned, they’ve done so many pretty songs…but the best, IMO, is The Traveller (Days are Numbers) by the Alan Parsons Project. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/88 "2003-10-27T16:33:17Z")
The first time ever I saw your face **Wendell Wagner** has the dope. I meant the Roberta Flack version. I knew Ewan MacColl wrote it but I’ve never heard the ‘original’ only the ‘hit’. The more recent version had a #@%\*ing dance beat and changed the harmony(!). Don’t you hate it when a current chart act covers a song and stomps all over it. Going for complete obscurity… Queen of Eyes by the Soft Boys. ---
**Author:** ![DaToad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@DaToad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaToad)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/89 "2003-10-27T17:56:56Z")
Rhapsody In Blue, G. Gershwin Wind Beneath My Wings, L. Henely/J. Silbar ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/90 "2003-10-27T19:29:31Z")
Just got to add “Forever Autumn” From Rick Wakeman’s “War of the Worlds” Album ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/91 "2003-10-27T19:59:40Z")
_Yesterday_ The Beatles. _She’s Leaving Home_ The Beatles. _Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World_ Israel Ka’amakawiwo Ole. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/92 "2003-10-27T20:07:29Z")
_Voi che sapete_ from Mozart’s _The Marriage of Figaro_, the prettiest aria in an opera overflowing with beautiful music. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/93 "2003-10-27T20:45:27Z")
Russian chant is notable for having a number of very pretty melodies, but the most beautiful, I think, is the Carpatho-Rusyn melody for “Bogorodice Devo” (“Hail Mary”), especially when harmonized and sung by a women’s choir. The Valaam melody for “The Angel Cried” is also very nice, though. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/94 "2003-10-27T21:11:19Z")
**h.sapiens** : Speaking of _Marriage of Figaro_, what’s the piece at the very end that starts out something like “Pace, Pace, Mio Tesoro” (pardon my phonetic spelling)? That’s way too gorgous for words. ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/95 "2003-10-27T21:25:32Z")
I’ve always thought _Heaven Knows_ on Robert Plant’s album Now & Zen was really pretty. Although it’s been a long time since I listened to it. I was younger then I’m older than that now ( 😉 ) and tastes change, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/96 "2003-10-27T21:27:55Z")
My votes: _Sanvean_, by Dead Can Dance _Bylar_, by Dead Can Dance _The Dark Night of the Soul_, by Loreena Mckennitt _Adagio for Strings_, by Samuel Barber ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/97 "2003-10-28T00:43:16Z")
My nominee is “Wonderful Baby” by Don Maclean. I think it’s a lullaby he wrote for one of his children. I can’t remember the title of this piece, but I’d love it if a Doper could interpret these maddening clues for me. It’s by Andrea Bocelli, an Italian blind male opera singer of a couple of years ago. Is the title similar to “Time to Say goodbye”? I think he sang it as a duet with a female opera singer at the Academy awards a couple of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Osbie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cdc98d/32.png) [@Osbie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osbie)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/98 "2003-10-28T01:10:41Z")
Here’s a few of my picks… _Seven Bridges Road_ - The Eagles _Wasted Time (reprise)_ - The Eagles _Jessica’s Theme_ - soundtrack from _The Man From Snowy River_ _Moviola_ - John Barry (who also wrote _We Have All The Time in the World_ **guy\_from\_wpa** ) _Courtyard Lullaby_ - Loreena McKennitt _Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella_ - traditional - as played by Emile Pandolfi _Night In That Land_ - Nightnoise The first part of _Ignacio_ by Vangelis (it’s featured on the _Cosmos_ series but is originally from the film _Etends-Tu Les Chiens Aboyer?_) _Heaven & Hell, Pt. 1_ - also by Vangelis (also featured on _Cosmos_) Massenet’s _Meditation de Thais_ - played by Joshua Bell _Vincent_ - by Don McLean and sung either by him or Josh Groban _Mysteries of Love_ - composed by Angelo Badalamenti and sung by Julee Cruise - from the soundtrack of _Blue Velvet_ **Medstar** - it was _Time to Say Goodbye_ which Bocelli sung with Sarah Brightman. ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/99 "2003-10-28T01:30:18Z")
**Norwegian Wood** , and a second vote for **Pink Moon, Waterloo Sunset and Vibrate.** There’s an instrumental by Moby with a long title, **God Moving Over the Face of the Waters** , I think. Anyway, very pretty stuff. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949/100 "2003-10-28T01:38:45Z")
Osbie says: > [@](#): > > Medstar - it was Time to Say Goodbye which Bocelli sung with Sarah Brightman. Thanks, Osbie. That was such a beautiful song, sung by two people who could do it justice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prettiest-song-ever/208949.md?page=6)