Blackmore’s Night ends their concerts with Dandelion Wine.
I was going to go with an Art of Noise song, but since @Hampshire posted something from them (a different song than what I was thinking), I’ll change directions a bit.
From the movie Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (the song was shortlisted for, but didn’t wind up receiving, an Oscar nomination.)
Back when I played flute in high school, this was my favorite piece to play.
I’ll add another Genesis song with Follow You Follow Me:
Woodkid and Son Lux together, performing “Central Park” live in 2016. The lyrics are mostly inscrutable, almost stream of consciousness in nature - but to me the song as a whole is hauntingly, achingly beautiful:
Sorely tempted to post BOC’s “Godzilla,” but instead…
Randy Newman doing Randy Newman is always good, but I like the Dusty version best:
As for my own contribution: a desperate, heart-wrenching and beautiful ballad from Richard and Linda Thompson:
My God, I miss Karen Carpenter:
My God, I miss Harry Nilsson:
This Madonna song from the film Dick Tracy, penned by Stephen Sondheim, won Best Original Song at the Academy Awards:
Dave Brubeck wins it for me. “40 Days” is sublime, and has what has to be the “driest” sax solo in history, reflecting Christ’s 40 days in the wilderness.
I really like her voice on that. But the synths ruin it for me.
“Carpet of the Sun” by Renaissance
That was great. Thanks.
Moby Grape
Some more Richard Thompson…
Ólafur Arnalds:
Delibes Flower duet
The Handsome Family:
“Old Souls” is a song written by Paul Williams, and included in the 1974 film Phantom of the Paradise. In the film, it was sung by Jessica Harper, to just a piano accompaniment. Harper did a great job, but an even better version (IMHO) is done by Erica Patoka, who seems to be a YouTuber, and who is apparently involved in her local music scene. Again, the accompaniment is solo piano; but it is also Patoka’s haunting voice that make this one just a titch better:
